Parolee Arrested in Attempted Abduction

A state prison parolee has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to kidnap an 8-year-old Burbank girl as she walked home from Bret Harte Elementary School last week, Burbank police said Tuesday.

Raymond M. Blackmore, 23, of Anaheim was taken into custody Monday afternoon as he made a delivery in Glendale for his employer, an Anaheim messenger service, Sgt. Don Goldberg said.

Undisclosed evidence at the scene of the attempted abduction led police to suspect Blackmore, who was on parole for assault with attempt to commit rape, assault with a deadly weapon and burglary, Goldberg said.

Blackmore allegedly grabbed the girl last Tuesday in an attempt to abduct her in a delivery van, Goldberg said. But her screams drew the attention of several passers-by and the man fled, police said.

Blackmore drove his van alongside the girl as she walked on Allan Avenue in Burbank and asked her for directions, Goldberg said. When she refused to answer, he continued driving near her, prompting her to run. Blackmore drove ahead, stopped his van and stood waiting for the girl to walk by, Goldberg said.

“If the neighbors and witnesses hadn’t scared the guy off, he would have definitely kidnaped her,” Goldberg said.

Blackmore was being held without bail in the Burbank Police Department Jail. Arraignment was scheduled for Nov. 29 in Burbank Municipal Court, Goldberg said.