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Police in Philadelphia have made an arrest in connection to multiple child lurings that were reported in Northeast Philadelphia last week.

On Monday, police have arrested 35-year-old Marwan Deeb and charged him with four counts of luring of a child into a motor vehicle as well as four counts of corruption of a minor in relation.

Police are currently withholding the suspect’s photo due to an ongoing investigation of other cases in the area.

According to authorities, the first incident occurred last Tuesday on the 400 block of Tomlinson Road around 3 p.m. when children told police they were approached by a Hispanic man in a black vehicle. The children say the man offered them cash to get into the car and that’s when they ran away.

The car that the suspect was reportedly driving was a black SUV with damage to the front bumper, broken headlight, tinted windows, with one black wheel and three silver wheels.

Deeb is also being accused of an attempted luring on Friday on the 4900 block of Ditman Street. Police say that a man pulled up next to a 10-year-old girl, showed her money and asked if he could take her photo. She ran to school and told an adult what happened.

The suspect in that incident is also described as a Hispanic man with black hair, a beard, wearing a black shirt, driving a black car with black-tinted windows.

Ten minutes after that very incident, around 8:10 a.m. on the 5300 block of Jackson Street, a 10-year-old girl reported an identical encounter.

Three other attempted lurings have also been reported in Northeast Philadelphia last week. Police have not charged Deeb in those crimes.

Mother Avoids Attempted Abduction of Young Girl

Police Officials were called to a plaza near Warden and Eglinton avenues just before 1:30 p.m.

They say that a man walked into a Marshalls store, built an altar using items on the shelves, and then went outside and attempted to grab a four-year-old girl.

Police say that the mother fought back and prevented the child from being taken.

“This one guy, he followed my daughter,” the woman said. “I didn’t know what’s going on. He just said, ‘I want to take her. I’m going to take her. I love her.’

“He said, ‘I’m sick. I’m not normal. I’m sick.’ He kept saying that … I was so scared, you know. Everybody was screaming, running away.”

The child was not injured.

Just before the alleged incident occurred, police said the man went into a Canadian Tire store, grabbed cans of spray paint and vandalized the floor there.

The suspect was arrested by police in the parking lot and he has been charged with aggravated assault, attempted abduction, and attempted abduction of a child under 14.

Probably one of my biggest fears as a parent, the prospect of Child Abduction is absolutely terrifying but it is important to remember that the chances of such an occurrence are quite slim and most kids actually do pass through childhood safely.

Although this is true, it’s totally natural to worry about you as a parent can stop this from happening to your children.

We often try to protect our kids by saying “Don’t talk to strangers” – but many child abductions involve a relative or someone the child knows.

Here are a few lessons to teach your children and what you as a parent can do to be more vigilant:

1. Parents should learn when and where kids are most vulnerable in order to better protect them. In an analysis of attempted abductions, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC)  found that many:

• Involved a suspect driving a vehicle
• Occurred between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Occurred when the child was traveling to or away from school
• Involved girls and children between the ages of 10 and 14

2. The Internet is a great tool, but it’s also a place for predators to stalk kids. Be aware of your kids’ Internet activities and chat room “friends,” and remind them never to give out personal information. Avoid posting identifying information or photos of your kids online.
3. The review conducted by the NCMEC also revealed that 83% of children who escaped the abductor, ran away or kicked and screamed and actually escaped – which means that it’s often best to take action that to be passive. Set up a safety plan for your children by:

• Encourage them to tell a trusted adult whenever anything or anyone makes them uncomfortable.
• Point out places they can go for help when walking places like school and the park.
• Remind them to travel and stay with a group.
• Teach them the tricks would-be abductors use, such as offering money or asking for help.
• Warn them about accepting rides or changing plans without your permission.