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SALT LAKE CITY — Three schools were temporarily placed on lockdown as a precaution Tuesday while Salt Lake police searched for a man suspected in a kidnapping.
Parkview Elementary School, Glendale Junior High and Mountain View Elementary were on lockdown for about 90 minutes as officers searched nearby neighborhoods for a man wanted in an alleged assault who earlier led them on a chase through the area.
The incident began about 8:30 a.m. when a woman called police from the area of 1400 West and 940 South saying she had been held against her will overnight, had escaped in the morning and ran to a neighbor's house for help, said Salt Lake police detective Greg Wilking.
The woman and the suspect were former boyfriend and girlfriend, he said.
"Apparently there was some property that was in dispute from their relationship. They got together to exchange that property and somehow there was property that did not get exchanged. The male indicated that he wanted his property back and he wasn't going to let her go until he got it back," Wilking said.
The woman suffered undisclosed minor injuries during the incident, he said.
The man had left the residence by the time police arrived. But an officer spotted his vehicle a short time later and attempted to make a traffic stop, but he fled, Wilking said.
Apparently there was some property that was in dispute from their relationship. They got together to exchange that property and somehow there was property that did not get exchanged. The male indicated that he wanted his property back and he wasn't going to let her go until he got it back.
–Detective Doug Wilking, Salt Lake City Police Department
Officers chased the man through the area of 900 South and 1100 West about 10 a.m. They believe he was circling the area trying to get back to his residence. His vehicle was later found abandoned about a block away from where the alleged kidnapping took place.
After losing sight of the man, police surrounded the area in an attempt to find him. Officers set up a containment from about 900 South to 1100 South and from 1400 West to 1500 West. Utah Highway Patrol troopers and police K-9s were called to assist.
They believe, however, that he was able to slip past officers before the containment area was fully set up. The search was called off about noon.
Police announed later Tuesday they were looking for Jeffery Arguello, 45, of Salt Lake City. Utah state court records show his criminal history includes a conviction for felony theft in 2007 for which he was sentenced to 180 days in jail, and felony burglary in 1989.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 801-799-3000.
