He tried to kidnap a 7-year-old girl an hour after failing to do the same thing with a 15-year-old girl in a different town. The 23-year-old man from Michigan was caught.
Endi Bala, 23, was caught Thursday and charged with crimes including attempted unlawful imprisonment after people stopped him from kidnapping two girls on separate occasions, according to the Macomb County prosecutor.
Authorities say Bala first tried to take a 15-year-old girl hostage on Tuesday while she was walking down a street in Clinton Township.
In an interview with WXYZ-TV in Detroit, the teen talked about the scary event. She told ABC that she knew something was wrong when a car went by her and then turned around and stopped next to her. Her mother was with her at the time.
This girl told the station that the driver asked to take her home twice, and when she said no, he grabbed her wrist and made threats. Another person, Paul Billiter, told WXYZ that he stepped in and asked the girl if she wanted to go with the man after seeing him hit her head on the door of his car.
“So I pulled him out, held him, and told him, ‘Hey, you.'” He told the station, “You’re not going anywhere with this girl.”
Billiter told the station that neighbors came to help when they heard the noise, and the driver got away after Billiter took a picture of the license plate.
They said that about an hour later, the same driver stopped next to a 7-year-old girl riding her bike in Sterling Heights.
Local police shared surveillance video that shows a man they named Bala grabbing the girl, putting her in his car, and then trying to leave the area. According to the prosecutors, another person in the crowd stepped in and used his truck to stop the car from driving off.
On the video, the girl’s aunt then runs to the driver’s side window of the car and grabs the steering wheel to stop him from leaving.
Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski told WDIV-TV in Detroit, “The aunt just went into warrior mode right away.” “That aunt jumps into the passenger side of the car and starts fighting with the suspect while he tries to drive the car back and forth to get her out.”
Police identified the truck driver as Scott VanLuven. He told WDIV that he took the driver out of the car and held him against the truck until police came.
“I’m still trying to figure out what happened.” He told WDIV, “It’s not something you see every day.” “I feel bad for the family.” I’m glad I could help.
At his arraignment on Thursday, Bala pleaded not guilty and was given a lawyer by the judge.
Prosecutors said Bala was jailed because of the event involving the 7-year-old. He was not given a bond. He was also told to get a mental health exam because of what happened in Clinton Township.
Attorneys for Bala said that he will have a probable cause hearing on August 27 and 28.
The brave people who stepped in and risked their own safety to save these girls are truly amazing, and the community is very grateful for them, said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido in a statement. “Their quick actions not only stopped a crime, but also made sure that these brave girls could get home safely.”