Police searching for man who attempted to kidnap 10-year-old boy in Gary

Police are searching for a man who attempted to kidnap a 10-year-old boy by forcing him into his van Wednesday morning in Gary, Indiana.

The man forced the boy into a black, older model box van, possibly a Ford, in the 700 block of Lincoln Street, according to Gary police.

During the attempted kidnapping, the man pulled behind an abandoned residence, got out of the van and left the boy unattended, police said. The boy then managed to escape from the van.

The man was described by police as black with a light complexion, standing between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10 with a medium build and having dark-colored eyes. He was wearing a full black mask, a gray hooded sweatshirt with black zipper, white pants and black boots with a strap on top.

His van has six doors total, with two on each side, and two in the rear, police said. It also has gray running boards on each side, with the running board on the driver’s side having a dent. The van has a dark-colored interior, ashtray in the front cupholder and a green tree air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror inside.

Anyone with information about the man and attempted kidnapping is asked to call Detective Robin Bolde at (219) 881-7591 or (219) 290-4481.