NEWARK, Ohio – Two elementary age Newark girls were walking to school Wednesday when a man in a ski mask tried to lure them into his pick-up truck and abduct them, according to Newark police.
NBC 4' Mike Bowersock talked to the man the girls ran to escape and looked at where the investigation stood.
The attempted abduction occurred at the corner of Moull Street and Central Avenue on the city's North End.
The man in the pickup truck was wearing a ski mask. He offered the girls a ride to school.
When they refused, police said the suspect started to chase them in the snow but fell.
"She was really shook up. You could tell fear in their face -- and the look in her eyes. She was just wanting to get somewhere away from the situation," said resident Tyler VanVelzor.
The girls ran to VanVelzor's home to get help.
"They ran up to the door cause I was inside from dropping off my son, and they asked me if I was a police officer -- if I know a police officer. I said, 'No,' and they asked me if I was in the army. I said, 'No, not anymore.' So they started telling me what happened -- that there was a guy in a truck trying to get 'me," VanVelzor said.
There are 106 registered sex offenders living within the city of Newark. Ten of them live within about a mile area of where this happened -- some within just a few blocks.
Police said they don't have any suspects currently, though.
"Particularly disturbing when you have someone who has no known contact -- no knowledge of the individual. Makes it all that much more difficult for us -- that much more concern that we might have a second or third attempt," Newark Police Sergeant Scott Snow said.
Witnesses were able to back up the girls' story.
Police describe the suspect as a male of unknown race who is 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall with a medium build.
Along with the dark-colored ski mask over his face, he was wearing blue jeans and a dark coat at the time of the attempted abduction.
The truck the suspect was driving was a gray pickup truck with a black stripe down the length of each side, about six to 10 inches wide.
Newark authorities asked anyone with information on the crime or who may see the described vehicle to call NPD at 740-670-7201 or Licking County Crime Stoppers at 740-349-6888.
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