San Jose police released a composite sketch today of a man suspected of trying to pry a 2-year-old girl away from her mother in front of their house in East San Jose Tuesday.
Police released the sketch to the media in order to obtain leads in the case, police spokesman Office Albert Morales said.
"Right now, we're hoping to get some help from the public," Morales said.
The mother told police that she was in front of her home in the 2000 block of Dayo Court while her daughter played in the yard when a strange man came up and made a comment about the child, police said.
The man made the mother uncomfortable, so she picked up her daughter, but then the man grabbed both of the girl's legs and tried to pull her away, police said.
The mother was able to hold on and run with the girl into her home while the man left on foot and was last seen walking south on Pavan Drive, police said.
The mother phoned police at 5:37 p.m. and officers arrived but were unable to locate the suspect, police said.
"Who knows what would have happened if he had been able to get a hold" of the girl, Morales said.
The mother described the man as Hispanic, about 25 to 30 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, wearing a red baseball cap, blue jeans and a white or light shirt, police said.
She also said that he smelled of motor oil, police said.
The odor of oil may indicate the suspect worked at a mechanic's shop, Morales said.
Police are urging anyone with information about the attempted abduction to contact Detectives Isidro Bagon or Jason Tanner of the San Jose Police Department's Robbery Unit at (408) 277-4166.
People who wish to leave an anonymous tip may call Silicon Valley Crimestoppers at (408) 947-7867.
Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. — Republication, Rebroadcast or any other reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
