Attempted Rape Suspect Sought

A woman was the victim of an attempted kidnapping Tuesday morning in the North Fair Oaks neighborhood of unincorporated Redwood City, San Mateo County sheriff’s officials said.

The woman was walking alone at about 8:30 a.m. in the 600 block of Second Avenue when a man in a late 1990s GMC van got the woman’s attention, according to the sheriff’s office.

The woman ignored the man and continued walking until he pulled the van alongside her, sheriff’s officials said.

The man opened the van’s door and allegedly grabbed the woman’s arm. Described as a Hispanic man about 35 years old with brown hair, a large nose and scar or mole on his left cheek, he told the woman to get in the van, sheriff’s officials said.

The woman broke away from the man’s grasp and threatened to call authorities. The suspect then drove away east on Second Avenue, sheriff’s officials said.

A video recording from a nearby home showed the van to have a distinctive roof rack with four squared tubes rising up from either side, according to the sheriff’s office.

Anyone with information about the attempted kidnapping is being asked to call Detective Hector Acosta at (650) 363-4064 or email him at hacosta@smcgov.org. People can make anonymous tips by calling (800) 547-2700.

--Bay City News Service, photo courtesy of the San Mateo Sheriff’s Department