The person involved in an attempted abduction in South Scranton this week is a 14-year-old who police say attempted to recruit students to assist in stealing vehicles.
Scranton police did not identify the juvenile but said in a statement Thursday morning he had recently moved to the area from Dayton, Ohio, where he had a history of motor vehicle theft. He is not enrolled in school and is suspected of additional vehicle thefts in the Scranton area. He had previously been recruited to steal cars by older individuals in Dayton, according to police.
After the reported abduction attempt outside South Scranton Intermediate School on Monday morning, police found the stolen Hyundai Elantra he had driven. Shortly after 9 p.m., police saw a male matching the suspect’s description and detained him after he tried to run. The teen refused to provide identifying information, but family members fully cooperated with the investigation. Police also recovered clothing that matches surveillance footage.
He is being held at a facility in Northampton County, facing charges for theft of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, possessing instruments of crime, fleeing and eluding police and loitering and prowling at night.
The abduction attempt alarmed families and the school district, which increased security around all buildings this week and urged parents and students to remain vigilant when walking to and from school.
