Evanston police on Tuesday were continuing to look for two men wearing ski masks who tried to abduct a woman off the street on Monday afternoon as she was walking to work.
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“We are in the process of canvassing the area looking for witnesses and or video that may have captured the incident,” Evanston Police Commander Ryan Glew said Tuesday. “It could reveal a vehicle description, or the offenders. It could help with a timeline. Any video recovered or any still photographs could be beneficial in any number of ways.”
He said that on Jan. 23, at approximately 4 p.m. Evanston police responded to an “attempted kidnapping” that took place in the 1200 block of Fowler Avenue and that officers met an 18-year-old Evanston resident who told them that approximately 20 minutes earlier she was walking south bound in the 1200 block of Fowler Avenue when she saw a small newer gray 4-door vehicle driving toward her. She said the vehicle parked across the street and that two “male offenders” exited the vehicle approached her, then grabbed and picked her up. She was able to fight and free herself and ran to her place of employment in the 2400 block of Main Street. She was not injured in the incident, police said.
“Anybody who reports an attempted kidnapping … it will be investigated as a bona fide incident until circumstances reveal otherwise,” Glew said. “This is being treated as a bona fide case.”
The victim could not give further description beyond one of the offender was wearing a gray hoodie, black pants, and a black ski mask, and the second offender was in all black clothing, including a black hoodie and black ski mask. There are no additional vehicle descriptors, said police.
Even though the investigation has not revealed any continued threats to the public, the Evanston Police Department advises the community to use caution and report any suspicious circumstances, police said in a release.
Glew said police are still trying to determine if the victim was targeted or picked at random.
“All those things are presently under consideration as part of the investigation,” he said.
Anyone with information on the investigation is asked to contact the Evanston Police Detective Bureau at 847-866-5040 or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES (274637) and start the message with EPDTIP. In the event of an emergency call 9-1-1.
Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.