Palo Verde Valley – A man who reportedly attempted to lure children into his vehicle was arrested in an unincorporated area of Blythe.
On two separate occasions during the month of May 2015, a man pulled up to a school bus stop in the Palo Verde Valley in a white sedan. The man called out to children walking by and attempted to lure them into his vehicle. In both instances, the children fled and later told their families what had happened.
The children’s families reported the incidents and investigators from the Riverside Sheriff’s Department initiated a lengthy investigation.
On Thursday, October 1st, 2015, investigators identified 73-year-old Blythe resident, Jeff Hsieh, as the suspect involved in these incidents. They obtained a warrant and went looking for the suspect at a residence located in the 18000 block of Maple Drive in the unincorporated area of Blythe.
Hsieh was arrested and booked into the Riverside County jail, located in the City of Blythe, for two counts of child annoyance, two counts of attempting to lure a juvenile into a vehicle, and two counts of stalking.
In an effort to keep the public informed for the safety of children, details regarding this incident were provided to the Palo Verde Unified School District, as well as the Blythe Police Department.
According to a press release from the department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Colorado River Station worked closely with school administrators from the District to educate the children on the incidents. The Department hopes to ensure the safety of students by teaching them about the dangers of speaking with strangers.
Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Investigator Julio Oseguera at the Colorado River Station at (760) 921-7900, or they can call anonymously at (760) 341-STOP (7867).
