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SPRINGVILLE -- A 16-year-old Springville teenager was arrested Thursday morning after police say he tried to kidnap a woman in a grocery store parking lot.
Springville Police Lt. Dave Caron says a woman who appeared to be in her early 20s ran into a Ream's grocery store near 400 south and 800 East around 10:00 Wednesday night. She told police she had just been attacked at knife point.
"As the girl got into the car, this individual came up from behind her and threatened her with a knife, forced her into the car with him. There was a brief struggle. She was cut on the hand by the knife," Caron said.
The suspect made the woman put her keys in the ignition. But during the struggle, she slipped free of a headlock and made it out the passenger-side door. At that point she ran to the store screaming for help.
Workers inside the store spotted the suspect running down the street to where he had hidden a bicycle off the road.
The suspect road off as police arrived. Officers set up a containment area and found the bike, but they could not locate the suspect.
The woman was able to provide a good description of her attacker, and the store also had surveillance video of the suspect inside the store prior to the attack.
"From what it appeared was that he was in the store specifically watching girls in the store, trying to find one to target," Caron said.
From there, police were able to identify the 16-year-old suspect. Officers arrested him Thursday morning at his foster home and have since placed him in a juvenile detention center.
Caron says the victim was terrified Wednesday night and was afraid to leave her home until police were able to track the attacker down.
E-mail: rjeppesen@ksl.com
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