By Lookout Staff

December 8, 2011 – Police arrested a suspect Tuesday in the attempted kidnapping of a teenage girl in Santa Monica last week.

Jefferdick Joseph Vega, a 29-year-old resident of Los Angeles, was arrested and booked in Santa Monica jail for kidnapping, vehicle theft and a parole violation. He is not eligible for bail.

Police cracked the case when officers responded to a radio call at 1 p.m. Tuesday regarding a suspicious suspect in the 800 block of Ocean Park Boulevard, who was knocking on doors to various residences, police said.

Jefferdick Joseph Vega Birthdate 08/24/1982 Los Angeles Resident

“As officers were checking the immediate area, they observed an older model Toyota Previa Minivan that matched the description of the suspect vehicle involved in the attempted kidnapping,” said Sgt. Richard Lewis, the Police Department spokesman.

After officers determined that the vehicle was stolen, they stopped Vega in the 800 block of Maple Street.

“The driver was detained and during the subsequent investigation, he was identified as the suspect in the attempted kidnapping,” Lewis said.
The attempted kidnapping took place Sunday morning in the 2900 block of Pico Boulevard near the city's eastern boarder.
The victim, a 17-year-old female, was walking eastbound when she was suddenly grabbed by a male suspect who was standing alongside his parked vehicle, according to police.
The victim suffered minor injuries, police said. She was treated at a local hospital and released.
The suspect was seen fleeing in a mini-van that matched Vega’s vehicle.

Santa Monica Police Department is asking anyone else who may have been victimized by Vega, or who has additional information, to contact Detective Chad Goodwin at (310) 458-8942 or Sergeant Ira Rutan at (310) 458-8959 or the Santa Monica Police Department (24 hours) at (310) 458-8495.