Police are warning residents on the Northwest Side of an attempted kidnapping on Tuesday in Portage Park.
A 14-year-old girl was walking about 3:40 p.m. near Long and Pensacola avenues when she was approached by a man standing behind a garage in the 5300 block of West Cullom Avenue, according to an alert from Chicago police.
The man tried to speak with the girl, telling her “hi” numerous times as he walked up to her, police said. At one point he moved in front of her and stopped her from continuing forward.
The girl ignored the man and ran around him toward Portage Park Elementary School, located a couple of blocks away, police said.
As she ran she turned around and saw the man running after her, according to police.
The girl ran to a crowd of parents who were waiting for school to let out, and the girl lost sight of the man, police said.
The man was described as between 38 and 48 years old and between 5 foot 8 and 5 foot 10, police said. He had a slight beard with short dark hair and a receding hairline.
He was wearing a black jacket and black work boots, and had a professional-style camera hanging from his neck by a thick strap, police said. He didn’t have any visible tattoos or piercings.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Area Five detectives at (312) 746-6554.
