Police: 12-year-old boy reports attempted kidnapping in Centerville

CENTERVILLE, Utah – Police have warned parents after they said a man attempted to kidnap a 12-year-old boy in Centerville. The child told investigators he punched the man in the face to get away.

Centerville Police say this happened between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m Tuesday. The boy’s parents called police not long after that.

Investigators said the boy was walking just a couple of blocks home alone from his cousin’s house along 400 West near Jennings Lane when he was approached by a man who offered him candy.

When the boy refused, he told police the man grabbed him by the shirt and picked him up. That’s when the boy said he punched the man to get away, running to Smoot Park in Centerville to hide before telling his parents.

“He said when the guy turned around and he had a good shot, he got him right in the face,” the boy’s father, Jerry Jensen said. “He said he could feel his jaw shift sideways. The guy dropped.”

Jerry Jensen said he’s glad his 6th grade son got away from the would-be kidnapper and hid behind a rock at the park.

“It was about five minutes before he saw him drive through real slowly looking for him,” Jerry Jensen said.

The boy’s mother has urged other parents to teach their kids to fight back immediately if someone tries to take them.

“He fought back and he didn’t panic,” Tinisha Jensen said. “He did everything that you would you kids would do in a situation like that.”

The suspect was believed to be in his 30’s with blonde hair and a neck tattoo. He was driving an older blue sedan. If you may have seen him, call police at 801-292-8441.

Centerville Police officers have increased their presence in the area before and after school and suggest kids walk in pairs.

Thankfully the boy got away, but locals we spoke to are concerned, like Anna Farris who was playing at Smoot Park with her kids.

She didn’t know about the attempted kidnapping until we told her.

“It makes me feel, you know, we’ve got to like watch our kids and you can’t really let them out of your eye sight,” she said. “When I was a kid I’d be gone for six hours at a time without my mom watching. You can’t do that anymore.”

She’d already been overly cautious after a stranger asked her son for directions recently.

“If you’re asking a 4-year-old that, you know they’re not going to have that answer,” she said.

Farris knows you can’t let your fears rule you, but the attempted kidnapping was yet another reminder you have to keep your kids close.

“You have to be with your kids every second. I don’t want to be with them every second, but you have to,” she said lightheartedly despite her obvious concern about the police warning.