Police want the public's help in finding a man accused of luring a 13-year-old boy into a Harlem stairwell and trying to sexually assault him.
Authorities say the teenage victim was walking to school on December 23 when the suspect approached him and started up conversation just before 7:30 a.m.
Cops say the suspect, described as a black man in his 30s, befriended the boy and walked him to a nearby building near 110th Street and Columbus Avenue. Once inside, police say the man took the victim to a stairwell and attempted to molest him. The boy escaped unharmed.
Surveillance video captured the suspect and the boy, who is blurred out in the footage to protect his identity, walking down the street, presumably to the building where the attempted sex assault occurred.
Police say the suspect was last seen wearing tan pants, black jacket, light brown hat and black sneakers.
Anyone with information on the suspect or attempted assault is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
