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Los Gatos Police Investigate Attempted Kidnapping Of Teen Girl

LOS GATOS (CBS SF) -- Police are looking for a man who tried to kidnap a 17-year-old girl near the Los Gatos Creek Trail in Los Gatos on Sunday.

The attempted kidnapping occurred around 4:20 p.m. on Lark Avenue near the Los Gatos Creek Trail, according to the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department.

The victim was walking west on the north side of the street from the trail when a dark brown car slowed down next to her and the driver offered to give her a ride, police said.

The girl declined the offer and continued walking, but the driver stopped his car on the curb ahead of her, exited the car and opened the passenger door, according to police.

He then walked up to the girl, grabbed her arm and bent down in an attempt to lift her, but she pulled away and punched him in the face and kneed him in the groin, police said.

The impact caused the suspect to release his grip on the girl and she was able to escape. The suspect returned to his car and drove west on Lark Avenue toward Winchester Boulevard.

The suspect was described as a Hispanic man in his mid 40s, about 5 feet 6 inches tall and 150 pounds. He was clean-shaven and had black medium-length hair that was slicked back. The suspect was wearing a red T-shirt with a large circular logo on the front and dirty blue jeans with paint splatters on them.

The car he was driving was a small sedan, hatchback or station wagon with tinted rear passenger windows and a manual transmission. It may have been a mid-1980s Volkswagen Jetta or similar-looking vehicle. The car had several large areas that were painted dark blue or black and it appeared that the paint was being used to cover areas that were rusting.

Police are investigating the case and ask anyone with information to call Detective Kevin Elliott at (408) 827-3211.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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