Police seek man they say tried to lure girl from Newport store

A male suspect may have tried to lure a young girl out of a Newport Beach grocery store over the holiday weekend while she was separated from her mother, according to police.

The girl, who police said is younger than 13, was inside a Ralphs at 1150 Irvine Ave. at around 8 p.m. Friday when the unidentified man approached her, Newport Beach police spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella said.

He then reportedly touched the girl’s hand and tried to persuade her to come outside with him, Manzella said.

The suspect may have also pretended to know the girl. Manzella said the girl and her mother told police, “The man called her by a name very close to her own as if he knew her.”

The girl ran and found her mother who was nearby, according to police.

They immediately called police, who searched the area but couldn’t find the suspect, Manzella said.

Detectives are now working with the store to review security camera footage to confirm a description of the suspect, Manzella said.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck