Police make bust in second kidnapping of week

Police make bust in second kidnapping of week
Bakersfield Police are investigating the second botched kidnapping in less than a week.

Both incidents are considered by police as kidnapping, rather than attempted kidnapping, because the kidnapping suspects moved the children before letting them free moments later.

On Tuesday, an unidentified man kidnapped a baby from an apartment on the 500 block of K Street.

The 7-month-old girl's unidentified mother left the room where the baby was while the front door was open. The mother heard a noise and returned to the room to find the man allegedly taking her baby. When the mother arrived, the suspect put the baby down and ran away, she said.

Shortly thereafter, police found and arrested a suspect matching the woman's description. The woman said she recognized the suspect from hanging around the area recently.

This was the second kidnapping in less than a week.

On Saturday morning, an unidentified suspect kidnapped a 9-year-old girl while she slept in her southeast Bakersfield home.

Police arrested 31-year-old James Sims on Saturday night for allegedly threatening the family of the 9-year-old girl, but police haven't drawn a connection between Sims and the kidnapping suspect from Saturday.

Police also haven't drawn a connection between the kidnapping incidents on Tuesday and Saturday. Motives haven't been disclosed for either situation.

The kidnapping suspect from Saturday is described as a black male, 16 to 20 years of age, about 5-foot-8 and 130 pounds. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111.