Cal Ripken Asks For Help In Solving Mother's Kidnapping; Calls Experience 'Bizarre, Unsettling'
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Cal Ripken Jr. opens up about his mother's kidnapping last week. He believes his mom's abduction was premeditated and says she's no longer living at home.
Mike Hellgren has the Hall of Fame infielder's first interview on the ordeal.
Cal Ripken Jr. says he has changed his views on security of his family, but he is confident in the police work going into trying to catch the man behind this violent crime.
"It's bizarre on many levels and it's unsettling on many levels," Ripken said.
Even Cal Ripken Jr. is struggling to understand who would take his 74-year-old mom, Vi, from the home where she's lived for decades in Aberdeen.
"It's quite possible it could have been a random act. It's quite possible it could have been more than that. She's just plain tired of answering those questions and going over it," he said.
His comments come just days after police released surveillance video of the suspect from cameras in a Wal-Mart in Anne Arundel County.
"There's some thought given to it. The materials used to bind her were brought there. So there's a lot of evidence that shows there was somewhat of a plan. I don't know when she will go back, but certainly right now she's not in her house yet," Ripken said.
Ripken says he's not sure whether the abductor knew who his mom was. He said he didn't even know she was missing until some 14 hours into the ordeal.
"[Police said] a woman was tied up in the back seat of the car and they wanted to know if we knew where mom was. So we couldn't find mom. It was the worst feeling you could imagine," he said.
This was the only time where Ripken's emotions caught up to him during the news conference, which he called uncomfortable but necessary to catch the man who turned his family upside down.
"She's still a little shaky. We're all a little shaky," Ripken said.
Police say the surveillance video came from a Wal-Mart in Glen Burnie. They are still not saying if Vi Ripken's credit card was used to purchase anything there.
Billboards are now going up with a sketch of the suspect. A reward is also being offered.
