MIRAMAR, Fla.

- A 32-year-old man was arrested Monday in connection with the attempted kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl at a gas station in Miramar, authorities confirmed. Leer en español According to Miramar police, Michael Polanco tried to kidnap the teen earlier in the day at a Shell gas station, located at 2840 S. State Road 7. An arrest report states that a witness saw Polanco grabbing the girl by the neck and trying to walk away with her.

Police said Polanco fled west from the business after the incident.  As units were responding, intel was given of a male matching the description in the area causing another disturbance,  the department said in a press release.

Police said units were then redirected to the area, where they located Polanco and detained him. The victim and a witness identified Polanco as the man who tried to abduct the teen, authorities confirmed. Polanco was then arrested and transported to the Broward County Main Jail, where he was booked on charges of battery causing bodily harm and kidnapping, inflicting bodily harm or terrorizing a victim.  This is very disturbing. You have a child walking home, and suddenly, some guy is trying to grab her and pull her away,  said Miramar Police Department Chief Delrish Moss.  Now, she was very smart. She put up a fight, she made a ruckus, she ran to people for safety, and because of that, we were able to get not only a description, but we were able to catch him in rather quick fashion, just a few blocks away. 

Polanco appeared in Broward County bond court Tuesday, where he was ordered held without bond and prohibited from contacting the victim or any minors, returning to the incident location, or possessing firearms, weapons, or ammunition. According to police, Polanco has a lengthy criminal history that involves various crimes, including robbery, burglary, battery and exposure of sexual organs, among others.


#local10   #crimewatchmiami