California: 81-year-old sex offender attempts to kidnap 12-year-old girl

California: 81-year-old sex offender attempts to kidnap 12-year-old girl

2011-06-27 07:13:14 GMT+7 (ICT)

LITTLEROCK, CALIFORNIA (BNO NEWS) -- An 81-year-old sex offender in California has been arrested after he allegedly attempted to kidnap a 12-year-old girl, police said on Sunday.

The attempted kidnapping happened at around 10.50 a.m. local time on Saturday when the young girl was walking alone in a business district in Littlerock, a census-designated place in Los Angeles County. The victim's parents were watching from a distance.

According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca, the suspect pulled beside the 12-year-old girl and asked if she wanted a ride. When she declined, the suspect continued to drive slowly beside her.

When the mother of the child approached the vehicle and asked the suspect what he wanted, the man sped away at a high rate of speed. But the mother was able to get a good description of the suspect and his vehicle, including the license plate, when he was forced to stop for a red light a short distance away.

Soon after, Palmdale Sheriff's Station Deputy J. Bisantz located the suspect's vehicle in Pearblossom, a nearby unincorporated town, and made a traffic stop. The suspect was then detained and both the mother and her daughter identified him as the person who attempted to kidnap the girl.

Items consistent with the intent to kidnap were discovered in the vehicle of the suspect, who was identified as 81-year-old Keith Holmes of Pearblossom. He is a registered sex offender and was previously convicted of annoying or molesting a child under 18 years of age and assault with intent to commit rape.

Based on the circumstances, Holmes - who is still on probation - has been arrested for felony attempted kidnapping of a child under 14 years old. His bail has been set at $1 million.

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