Boy escapes from abduction attempt in Southfield while walking home

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WJBK) - Southfield schools are on alert after a student said he was nearly kidnapped on his way home.

Police are stepping up patrols in the area of 10 Mile and Greenfield specifically the intersection of Southwood and Sherfield where the attempted abduction happened.

A 12-year-old boy was walking home from Thompson Middle School at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday when two men pulled up in a black Dodge Ram pickup.

The driver rolled down the window, ordering the boy to get in, when he refused, the passenger hopped out, and tried to yank the boy inside by the collar. The boy managed to get away.

The boy also told police, he had seen the same truck lurking in the neighborhood several times in the past week.

The suspects are described as white men. The driver is in his 40s with short black hair and a mustache. He was wearing a red and black checkered jacket. The passenger who grabbed the boy was wearing a ski mask, also a grey or black jacket, and blue jeans with a hole in one knee.

"You just can't walk home by yourself anymore," said resident Ardis Griffin. "It's just weird, it seems like they were really watching this young man to see if he was by himself."

A statement was also released by Southfield public schools, it says:

"As always, Southfield Public Schools is committed to the students, staff and community at large.  We have requested that parents emphasize to their children the importance of being aware of their surroundings, being watchful of each other, walking together in groups, not talking to strangers, and reporting any concerns to an adult or authority."

A friend of the family said that the boy has been doing remarkably well given the circumstances and gave a detailed description of the incident to police.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or Southfield police at (248) 796-5500.