A Willow Springs man is charged with trying to force two girls into his SUV at a Hickory Hills shopping center on Oct. 13, police said.
Nicholas P. Hayes, 28, faces two counts of attempted kidnapping, one for each girl, after review by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, according to Hickory Hills police. He was held pending a detention hearing.
Officers were called around 12:30 p.m. to the shopping center near 95th Street and Roberts Road on a report that a man had tried to abduct a girl. They soon learned the same driver had approached two girls separately within a short time, police said.
In the first encounter, police said, a man driving the same vehicle repeatedly demanded that a girl get into his car. She told him she was a minor and tried to get away, and he got out and chased her on foot. An adult who saw it confronted the man and brought the girl to safety, according to police.
Moments later, police said, a man in a silver SUV approached a 14-year-old girl walking through the shopping center, repeatedly ordered her to get in and kept following her as she walked away. He drove off after the girl sought help and bystanders stepped in.
Witnesses gave the girls a safe place to go, called police and gave officers details about the man and his vehicle, police said.
Detectives pulled surveillance footage and identified the vehicle as a silver Hyundai SUV, police said. They shared its description with surrounding departments and regional information-sharing systems.
A Flock license plate reader camera later detected the SUV, and Willow Springs police found it near 87th Street and Oak Grove Avenue, police said. Officers arrested the driver, later identified as Hayes.
Police said there is no known ongoing threat to the community.
Detectives continued the investigation with witness interviews, surveillance video, photo lineups, interviews with Hayes and forensic interviews through the All Our Children’s Advocacy Center. Victims and witnesses identified Hayes as the man involved, police said.
Police urged anyone who sees suspicious or threatening behavior to call them right away. They said children who believe they are being followed should move toward other people or an open business, call 911 and find a trusted adult.
At the time of his arrest, Hayes was also wanted on two unrelated warrants: a Naperville Police Department warrant for Public Indecency – Sexual Act or Conduct, and a Waukegan Police Department warrant also for Public Indecency – Sexual Act or Conduct.