UC Riverside student escapes unharmed after kidnapping

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- Police are searching for a suspect who grabbed a UC Riverside student and forced her into his car in a campus parking garage.

The incident happened at the University Towers parking garage at 3500 Iowa Avenue on Sunday at 4:17 p.m. Investigators say the suspect tied up the victim and drove her around for about 30 minutes before returning her to the same garage. She was not seriously hurt.

"She was able to calm him, befriend him, and while doing that he almost became sympathetic and decided to release her," Riverside Police Detective Rick Cobb said. The victim is majoring in psychology.

The suspect was described as a white man in his late 20s to early 30s, with medium length, dirty blond hair. He was last seen wearing all black clothing.

His vehicle is described as a 2009 or newer charcoal gray four-door Nissan Sentra.

It's unclear what the suspect's motives were.

Anyone with information is urged to call Riverside Police Department Detective Rick Wheeler at (951) 353-7134 or Detective Rick Cobb at (951) 353-7135.