Blythe Man Arrested For Allegedly Trying to Lure Children

A 73-year-old man was behind bars Friday after his arrest for allegedly trying to lure children into his car near schools.

Jeff Hsieh of Blythe was arrested Thursday in the 18000 block of Maple Drive, located in an unincorporated community near Blythe, sheriff’s Sgt. Julio Oseguera said.

The investigation dates back to May, when sheriff’s officials received reports that a man driving a white sedan tried to entice children into his car near a bus stop in the Palo Verde Valley, Oseguera said.

Authorities suspect Hsieh stopped his car near the bus stop on two separate occasions and tried to lure children into the vehicle.

In both cases, the children ran away and reported the incidents, Oseguera said.

Hsieh was booked into the Riverside County jail in Blythe on suspicion of two counts each of child annoyance, attempting to lure a child into a vehicle and stalking, sheriff’s officials said.

He was being held in lieu of $1 million bail and is scheduled to make an initial court appearance in Indio on Monday.

--City News Service, photo courtesy of the Riverside Sheriff’s Department