LAKEWOOD, N.J. — Authorities are investigating an attempted kidnapping that occurred Sunday night in the Lakewood Commons neighborhood, where a masked man reportedly tried to snatch a young girl from a local park.
The incident took place around 8:45 p.m., prompting multiple urgent calls to the Lakewood Shomrim community hotline. Witnesses described a man dressed entirely in black and wearing a ski mask who approached a group of children before grabbing one of the girls and attempting to drag her toward a nearby wooded area.
The girl resisted, struggling fiercely against the attacker, ultimately breaking free from his grasp. The suspect fled the scene on foot before officers from the Lakewood Police Department arrived.
Shomrim volunteers and police conducted an immediate search of the area, but the suspect was not located. The girl sustained no reported injuries.
Investigation ongoing in Lakewood Commons incident
The Lakewood Police Department has launched an active investigation and is working to identify the suspect. As of Tuesday, no arrests have been made and authorities have not released surveillance images or a detailed description beyond the suspect’s black clothing and ski mask.
The attempted abduction has raised safety concerns among residents in the typically quiet neighborhood.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Lakewood Police or the local Shomrim hotline as the investigation continues.
