Child attacks prompt alert from police

Newport Beach police are warning parents and children in the city that three children in Irvine were grabbed by an unknown man in the past few weeks, officials said.

Newport Police said they’re taking a proactive stance because the incidents involve juveniles and occurred close to the city’s boundary with Irvine, Newport Beach Police Sgt. Bill Hartford said.

“We think it’s important for our community to know that we’re actively searching for these suspects,” Hartford said.

On Tuesday, a man with a puppy grabbed a 12-year-old Irvine girl while she was walking home from school at 2:45 p.m. The man got out of his car, a tan four-door Honda, and ran toward the girl, asking if she wanted to see his dog. When he grabbed the girl’s wrist, she got away and ran home, according to Irvine police.

The man never tried to pull the girl into the car and never asked her to get in the car, police said.

The Tuesday incident was the third similar incident in Irvine in two weeks. On May 18, two girls were approached and grabbed by a man. Different vehicle and suspect descriptions were given in each incident, said Irvine Police Lt. Mike Hamel.

All three incidents occurred within less than 10 miles of Newport Beach.

As soon as Irvine Police learned of the incidents, they notified neighboring jurisdictions, Hamel said.

“We have a great working relationship with other police departments,” Hamel said.

School officials from the Newport-Mesa Unified School District were notified with information about the child annoyance, Hartford said.

The male suspect is between 5-feet-7 inches tall to 5-feet-9 inches tall, between 160 and 180 pounds, with a dark complexion. He was wearing a black long-sleeve T-shirt with the word “Hurley,” black dress pants, brown work boots and a black ski mask. He was seen with a small puppy on a yellow leash.

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Irvine Police Department, (949) 724-7000, or Newport Police, (949) 644-3717. dpt.03-suspect-CPhotoInfo101RKADM20060603j09jopnc(LA)Police sketch of child kidnapping suspect