ALTON, Ill. — Police are searching for a man from Canton, Illinois, after they said he tried to abduct a 15-year-old girl Tuesday from a bus stop in Alton.
Prosecutors charged Michael J. Roberts, 44, with felony child abduction.
According to the Alton Police Department, a parent called police and said an unknown man drove up to his daughter while she was waiting at her bus stop and tried to lure her into his car.
The girl told police that the man had been watching her from a nearby parking lot before he pulled up to her and said "get in the car, get in the car," pointing to his passenger seat.
The girl declined and told him to go away, and the man replied, "Just get in the car."
The girl then pulled out her phone and threatened to call police, and the man drove away.
Police later identified the man as Roberts. According to court documents, Roberts admitted he talked to the girl and denied knowing she was 15 years old and waiting at a school bus stop, claiming he was just offering the "lady" a ride.
"The evidence will reflect the victim does not have the physical appearance of an adult," the documents said.
A judge later issued an arrest warrant for Roberts, who was not in custody as of Thursday afternoon. He was ordered to be held in jail.
"We are relieved and thankful that this case played out the way it did, and that the juvenile’s wise and quick actions resulted in the suspect fleeing," Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said, adding that police believed this was an isolated incident.
Roberts was last seen driving a black Dodge Charger, with the Illinois registration EU74699. Anyone with information should call Alton police or 911.
“They’re just trying to go to school and it’s kind of sad. It’s very sad and scary,” said Laurie Watts, who has lived in the Alton neighborhood for more than 30 years.
“I’ve never heard of anything like this going on in this area, so it’s kind of jarring,” said neighbor Lauren Youngberg. “ ... This is great news. This is what we want our girls to do. We want them to have a plan. We want them to know what to do."
“I also think parents need to really sit down with their kids and talk about this in order to stay safe,” Watts added.
“None of us heard about this before you told us," said neighbor Robert Watts. "I think with there being enough news coverage, putting the guy’s face out there, making everybody aware in the community that it’s a good chance he’ll get caught."