Cops ID Suspect In Carjack Kidnapping Of Mom, 2 Kids

WHEELING, IL — A 38-year-old homeless man has been identified as the suspect in a Sunday afternoon carjacking and kidnapping of a mother and her two young children from a drug store parking lot, police said. Around 3:20 p.m. police received a call from a man who explained he had run into the Walgreens at 10 N. Milwaukee Ave., leaving his wife and two children in an idling vehicle.

When he returned to the store's parking lot, he found his car and family missing. After calls to his wife's cell phone went unreturned, he contacted police.

The kidnapper released the woman and two children, a 1-week-old infant and a 3-year-old, more than 20 miles away in the 4700 block of West Belmont Avenue in Chicago. She told police her abductor had robbed her of her cell phone and some cash.

After reviewing surveillance footage and showing the woman a photo lineup Monday night, investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Leon Spektor.

"One of our detectives had a hunch and it paid off," said Wheeling Police Deputy Chief Todd Wolff. He said the quick identification was due to "good old-fashioned detective work."

Police said Spektor was seen getting into the running vehicle and driving away with the family inside.

Spektor is homeless and "known to frequent the Wheeling area" and North Side of Chicago, according to police.

Spektor was described as 6-foot, 190 pounds, police said. He has dark hair with a receding hairline and a light beard. He was last seen wearing a puffy green coat and white and gray camouflage pants with a black winter hat.

Police asked anyone who sees him to call 911. Anyone with information that may help authorities find him was asked to call Wheeling police at 847-459-2632.

More: 2 Kids, Mom Kidnapped By Carjacker In Walgreens Parking Lot

_{Top photo: Leon Spektor | Wheeling PD}