EAST ALTON - No victim has been named following a bizarre abduction reported to police last Tuesday, Sept. 6.
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The alleged incident occurred around 5 p.m. last Tuesday as reported by a juvenile witness to the East Alton Police Department. The witness told police he saw a short male child between the ages of 13-14 wearing a red polo shirt and blue jean shorts being forced into a white panel van with a sliding side door, double back doors and newspapers covering the window.
The witness said the alleged victim had brown hair, long on the top and short on the sides. The driver of the van was reported by the witness to be a short white male who allegedly yelled at the child twice before allegedly pulling him into the van. The witness said the incident occurred in the vicinity of Grand and Murray Streets in East Alton. The witness told police he did not know the alleged victim.
After a week, however, police are still looking for the victim from the witness report. Detective Christian Cranmer said he believes the witness to be credible, but has no evidence the event even occurred outside of the witness's testimony.
"I believe he saw something," Cranmer said. "But we don't know what that something may have been yet."
Last Wednesday, police surveyed local schools to see if they had any students missing or absent without explanation. Cranmer said surveillance footage from local businesses was collected as well. After casting a wide net, Cranmer said the department is still at a loss for a victim.
"Nothing's changed," he said Wednesday morning. "We're still searching, but we don't have any new leads."
Assuming the witness saw what he reported to police, Cranmer said the explanation may be as simple as a prank or parental dispute. He said a parent, friend or relative of a child may have been angry with him and the child may not have wanted to go with them. Such a verbal dispute and minor scuffle may have appeared to be an abduction to the young witness.
Cranmer said if any parents or family members recall such an event occurring last week, he would appreciate a call so he can close the investigation. As of now, the department is treating the incident as an abduction, which means every second a child is not found is devastating. If it was a simple family matter, however, he said the van driver would not face charges, and invited them to come forward in an effort to clear the confusion.
The East Alton Police Department can be reached at (618) 259-6212.
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