Attempted kidnapping of UC Irvine student near campus prompts search for suspect

Wednesday, August 9, 2017
IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- A search continued Wednesday for a man who tried to kidnap a female UC Irvine student two days earlier near the Orange County campus, authorities said.

The incident occurred about 5:40 a.m. Monday on Arroyo Drive, near the Vista del Campo Norte student housing facility, the UCI Police Department said in a statement.
[Ads /]
According to investigators, the suspect initially tried to convince the woman to get into his SUV, a blue older-model Toyota Rav 4 with an unknown object hanging from the rearview mirror.

The man "asked the student if she needed a ride and she told him she did not," the news release said. "The male suspect then told the student he had a gun and the female student refused to get in the vehicle."
[Ads /]
The man then drove off, heading westbound on Arroyo Drive, toward California Avenue.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call UCI police at (949) 824-5223.
Copyright © 2024 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.