KENOVA, W.Va. — Police believe they may be close to an arrest in the case of a near abduction of a child over the weekend. A 10-year-old boy was riding his bicycle when two men in a van approached him and asked him to get in. The boy refused.
“They started cussing at him and told him to get in,” said Kenova Police Chief Ray Mossman. “It’s believed the passenger was opening the door and the child ran to safety.”
Police said they have a good description of the van and have established a person of interest who looks very promising as one of the suspects. Mossman said an investigation must run its course, but police may be able to file charges in a couple of days. Mossman said the person they are concentrating on is from out of state, but wouldn’t say where.
The incident is unsettling to area parents, but Mossman said the child did exactly what he should have done.
Though the incident is similar to two other incidents from almost a year ago in Kenova, Mossman said police haven’t made a connection between the incidents.
“There were two reports and there are some similarities,” said Mossman. “It’s possible, but right now I want to take care of this and then we’ll look back into those to see if there’s any connection. The description sort of matches.”