Police Asking For Help Identifying Suspect Believed To Behind Series Of Crimes In Montgomery, Camden Counties
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) -- Police believe a suspect could be connected to a series of crimes in both Montgomery and Camden Counties, including two attempted abductions in Cherry Hill last month. Cherry Hill detectives got a big break in those high-priority attempted abduction cases thanks to a police database.
It's used by law enforcement agencies all across the tri-state area.
Now, officers need to identify the suspect and find him.
"He needs to get caught," Pennsauken resident Margarita Hernandez said.
"This is supposedly a safe neighborhood. I've lived here over 50 years, and it's scary," Cherry Hill resident Shirley Whitten said.
Cherry Hill Police have received some tips over the last few days but officers are still pleading with the public to help them figure out the identity of this man.
"We want this individual off the street as quickly as possible," Cherry Hill Police Chief William Monaghan said.
Cherry Hill Police first released a sketch last week of a man after, detectives say, the suspect attempted to kidnap two women -- first on Nov. 14, and most recently on Nov.20 at the Plaza Grande apartment complex.
"The individual opened his trunk as he walked the victim toward his vehicle, which is concerning," Monaghan said.
The women were able to get away.
But we're now learning how police connected the attempted abductions to an attempted armed robbery in Bala Cynwyd just days before.
It was on Nov. 4 when Lower Merion Police say a man was captured on camera at the Royal Athena Apartments, attempting to rob a woman.
As the woman ran from the scene, cameras captured the suspect and his car. But, police say, the security camera did not catch the car's license plate because cardboard covered it.
Fortunately, a Lower Merion police officer later saw the sketch released by Cherry Hill Police following the attempted abductions in a police database.
Now, law enforcement agencies from New Jersey and Pennsylvania are working to find the suspect in the security photos, who officers believe is possibly the same person in the sketch.
"It's important that law enforcement communicates. They share information on every level, on every platform," Monaghan said.
Police say the suspect is dangerous and is possibly from southeastern Pennsylvania. Anyone who knows who he is is urged to call detectives.
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