Police are trying to identify a man who attempted to abduct a child from a Queens daycare center on Monday, authorities said.
Photo courtesy of NYPD
Cops in Queens are working to find the man who tried to abduct a child from a daycare center on Monday — leaving staff members shaken, authorities said.
According to police sources, the unidentified man strolled into the Flushing school near Leavitt Street and Carlton Place at around 4:50 p.m. on July 15 and told workers that he was there to pick up a child.
Although the individual has not yet been identified by law enforcement, police say he told employees that he had arrived to collect a 3-year-old child — providing the youngster’s name, and claiming that their father was running 20 minutes late.
Police sources said school personnel didn’t buy the story and, upon further inquiry, discovered the name the man provided was not on the child’s emergency contact list.
With the plan failing, authorities noted, the would-be kidnapper told staff he would wait outside the daycare while staff got things in order — but he instead fled the scene.
Police say the child remained safe at all times.
Detectives stationed at the 109th Precinct are investigating the incident, and are asking for anyone who may recognize the man to come forward.
Anyone with information regarding this incident can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
