County police investigating report of attempted child abduction in Rankin

RANKIN, Pa. — The Allegheny County Police Department’s General Investigations Unit is assisting the Rankin Police Department with its investigation into a report of an attempted child abduction.

According to the report, an 8-year-old girl was walking down Oak Alley in Rankin last Thursday at approximately 10 p.m. with a couple of teenage family members. The victim said that she decided to walk back toward her grandmother’s home on Fifth Street when she was approached by a silver sedan with tinted windows. She described an emblem on the front of the car as being from or similar to that of a Cadillac, and that the license plate contained the letters “LX.”

The victim reported that the passenger in the car, a bald black man with a mustache, grabbed her by the arm and attempted to drag her toward the car. The victim further stated that the man put his hand over her mouth, but that she was ultimately able to fight and get away.

Police said the victim was not injured. The alleged abductor is described as wearing a black puffy coat, black gloves, black dress pants and black dress shoes.

“It’s a lot of sick people out here, and I think people like him need to be off the streets,” the victim’s mother, Alonda Richards, said. “I think the fact that we don’t know who he is makes it even more scary.”

Anyone having similar reports or information related to the incident is asked to contact the Allegheny County Police Department at 412-473-1251 or the Rankin Police Department at 412-271-1010.

Cox Media Group