Hollywood Community On Alert After Attempted Abductions
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HOLLYWOOD (CBSMiami) – As children and teens went trick-or-treating, a Hollywood community was on alert after three attempted abductions this month.
Hollywood Police Chief Frank Fernandez walked the streets Friday night handing out candy to children and police flyers about the attempted abductions to adults. He said police officers and volunteer patrols flooded the streets to protect the public and to try and find the bad guy.
"I'm deeply concerned about it because I don't know what his intentions are," Chief Fernandez said. "We don't know how it's going to escalate and before it escalates we want to make sure that we intervene and bring this person to custody."
"Well we just gotta stay as a group obviously and I don't know be careful. Keep your eyes open. Be aware," said resident and parent Hannah Smith.
Hanna Schmidt told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that she is alarmed that Hollywood Police have been out in force passing out flyers that show sketches of a man they said tried to abduct three girls on October 17th and October 29th.
One time he placed a cloth over the victim's head. Another time he wrapped a sheet over another girl's head.
Smith says she'll be careful.
"I mean there is going to be crazy people out there. Every year there is, so you just have to watch them and teach them, run, scream and run to your parents," said Smith.
CLICK HERE To Watch Peter D'Oench's Report
Her sentiments on this Halloween are echoed by another parent, Lon Brainard.
"I was in the army so it really doesn't like scare me or anything. You just got to take precautions. You got to make sure you're there when the boy gets to the bus stop and make sure he's on the bus and there when he gets off," said Branard. "It's like everyone is wearing masks. You don't know exactly who is who…so you stay with your child."
But resident Trudy Linderman is worried.
"There's two children that live in my complex and I know that they're going to want to go out trick or treating but it's like you can't do that," said Linderman.
A victim who said she did not want to show her face said she recognized the man in one of the sketches. She said he grabbed her buttocks and kept on going.
"I'm hoping they can catch him cause this used to be a safe neighborhood and I would like to be safe walking to school, not be scared for my life and have to walk a different way," said the victim.
"I recognized the man in one of the sketches," she said. "He was heavy set."
The suspect is believed to be between 5'7" and 5'10" tall and is around 30 years old. Police say he is a black male with a light complexion.
Anyone with information is urged to call Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.
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