Man Charged In Oak Lawn Child Luring After Teen Takes Photo of License Plate: COPS

OAK LAWN, IL -- Oak Lawn police were able to track down a Bloomingdale man for child luring thanks to a fast-thinking teen who photographed the man’s vehicle as it drove away, prosecutors said. Daniel Car, 35, of Bloomingdale, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on a felony charge child abduction/child luring. Carr also has a pending aggravated unlawful use of a weapon charge on an unrelated case.

According to the charges, the teen, who is 14 years old, saw a man, later identified as Carr, standing next to a white SUV in a parking lot on Aug. 28. The man was holding a cell phone. As the teen walked past him, Carr asked for her name. The girl did not respond and continued walking.

A few minutes later he drove next her as she continued walking down the sidewalk and told her to get in his car, the prosecutor said. The teen said no. Carr alleged continued driving next to her and ordered her again to get in the vehicle. The girl told him no and started to get scared.

As the vehicle drove away, the teen snapped a photo of the license plate. The teen took refuge in a pizza restaurant where she was out of view. She called her father and then called Oak Lawn police, the prosecutor said. Oak Lawn police later sent out an Everbridge Emergency alert.

Police were able to trace the license plate number to the registered owner who lives in Bloomingdale. She identified herself as Carr’s girlfriend. The prosecutor said the teen was able to identify Carr from a photo array as well as the white SUV. He was taken into custody on Aug. 29.

>>> Oak Lawn Cops Search For Man Who Tried To Lure Teen To Car

The assistant public defender told the judge that Carr was an Iraqi War veteran and suffered from PTSD. He sells nutritional health juices.

A violation of bond was also filed for the pending weapons case. According to court records, Carr was found in possession of a gun in 2015 while riding in a vehicle in Chicago. He also served two years probation for an aggravated robbery charge that had been reduced to theft in 2006, the prosecutor said.

“I find this troubling,” Judge Felice said. “This is extremely concerning to community safety.”

Bail was set at $300,000. Carr was also ordered to have no contact with the teen and is to surrender any weapons, FOID and conceal carry permits to Oak Lawn police. The judge also ordered Carr to wear a GPS tracker should he bond out of jail.

Carr is to appear before a judge on Aug. 31 for violation of bail. He is due back in court Sept. 25 in Bridgeview on the new charge.