By Daily Press Staff Writer
Santa Monica Police nabbed a Sylmar man within hours of him attempting to kidnap a young girl in an eastside neighborhood on Sunday.
Christopher Dean, 48, has been charged with attempted kidnapping after he tried to lure a 7-year-old girl into his car while she bought ice cream from an ice cream truck on the 1800 block of 17th Street.
SMPD responded to the area at 7:18 p.m. after they received reports from several eye witnesses who saw Dean trying to lure children into his vehicle.
The girl — whose identity is being withheld — was among a crowd of young children gathered around the ice cream truck when Dean allegedly drove his car up to the group and tried to lure the girl into his vehicle, police officials said.
Police said when Dean failed to lure the girl into his car, he then allegedly attempted to lure another young female into the vehicle.
Witnesses told police Dean drove away but then returned. This time, however, a parent attempted to stop him to get more information on him and what he was up to. Police said Dean then drove his car toward the parent in an attempt to flee.
A witness was able to obtain a description of Dean, his car and its license plate number, police said.
Santa Monica detectives were contacted and they immediately tracked Dean’s license plate. Within a few hours, detectives found Dean at his home in Slymar, south of Magic Mountain in the San Fernando Valley. He was arrested and taken to Santa Monica Jail.
Dean faces one count of attempted kid-napping and is being held on $500,000 bail.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 30, 2002. Read the original PDF.