Investigators are asking for assistance from the public in identifying and locating a suspect or suspects wanted for several recently reported luring incidents, most of which have taken place in Roselle, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park, Roselle Police Chief Gerard Orlando, Kenilworth Police Chief John Zimmerman, and Linden Police Chief Jonathan Parham jointly announced Wednesday.
At least three such incidents took place in Roselle during the last week, and the circumstances of each remain under investigation.
The luring victims, all girls ranging in age from 12 to 16, all reported that the incidents involved an unknown male either asking them if they wanted a ride or physically grabbing them on the street. None of the girls were injured as a result, as each managed to escape while the male suspect drove away.
The reported incidents all took place in a small area extending from Locust Street to Chandler Avenue between East 5th and East 10thavenues in Roselle, near Abraham Clark High School and Leonard V. Moore Middle School, and each occurred between the hours of 7:30 to 9 a.m. or 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
The composite portrait of
the suspect wanted for questioning related to these incidents has been produced by the New Jersey State Police.
Also under investigation are individual luring incidents that took place in Kenilworth and Linden during the last week. In Kenilworth, a 15-year-old girl reported being approached by an unknown male at approximately 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21 in the area of Monroe Avenue and North 16th Street, while in Linden, two 10-year-old girls reported an unknown vehicle following them near School No. 2 on South Wood Avenue at approximately 8 a.m. on Tuesday, September 27.
These incidents all remain under joint investigation by the Prosecutor's Office's Special Victims Unit and the Kenilworth, Linden, and Roselle police departments.
Anyone with information about any of these matters is being urged to contact Union County Prosecutor's Office Sgt. Timothy Durkin at 973-698-9529 or Roselle Police Department Detective Carmen Olivera at 908-245-9200.