38-year-old man arrested for allegedly kidnapping 13-year-old boy in Panorama City
On Wednesday, officers with the Los Angeles Police Department arrested man for kidnapping a 13-year-old boy and have reason to believe that the suspect has committed similar crimes in the past.
The incident, according to LAPD Det. Aguilar, occurred at around 8 a.m. at Van Nuys Boulevard and Tupper Street.
Police said a man identified as 38-year-old Ottoniel Mendoza was driving a dark gray 2019 Toyota Tundra pickup truck when he bumped the teenage boy, who was riding his bicycle. Mendoza exited his vehicle and approached the teen, showing him a badge and telling him that he was a police officer.
The 38-year-old suspect then directed the teenager to get into his truck and the teen complied.
A person who witnessed the incident unfold thought it was suspicious and called 911. They also followed the suspect while on the phone with 911 dispatch, Det. Aguilar said.
Officers were able to stop the vehicle at Sepulveda Boulevard and Tupper Street and found Mendoza and an additional adult male in the truck with the 13-year-old boy.
Both Mendoza and the male passenger were detained and interviewed. The male passenger was not booked. However, Mendoza was booked for kidnapping.
The 13-year-old was transported to a local hospital for minor injuries received when the struck hit his bike.
"Fortunately, for us, a community member observed what occurred and called 911 and started following the suspect after he placed him in the vehicle," LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said. "I sincerely don't think he had good intentions. I think this could've ended a very different way had our officers not located the individual and had that community member not called 911 and alerted us."
Officers are additionally skeptical based off of witness accounts from the scene.
"The individual didn't really give the victim too much of a choice as far as getting in the car," Hamilton continued. "He coerced him into the car and identified himself as a police officer. So, that's the other area of concern for us, is that this individual may be out there posing as a police officer and attempting to get juveniles or other victims into the car."
Mendoza's wife said that her husband recently got the security badge from their church and was likely just trying to prove that he was a safe person to get help from, but police are not convinced and fear that this might have happened before.
"Our concern out here in the community is that you may have juvenile victims where this individual attempted to kidnap them for whatever nefarious reasons," Hamilton said.
LAPD is urging people to look at Mendoza's photograph and pickup truck in case there are any other potential victims who might need to come forward and contact authorities.
