Lincoln police say the father of a 3-year-old and 8-month-old reported fighting off a man who, he thought, was trying to kidnap them. It turns out, the suspect is developmentally challenged.
The man told police he had put the children in their car seats about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday while his sport utility sat in his driveway. He says he went back inside to get a stroller.
Captain Jim Davidsaver says that when the man went back outside, he heard the 3-year-old screaming and saw a man inside the SUV. The father struggled with the man and punched him in the face.
Police say the suspect got on a bicycle and raced away. Thursday morning, 19-year-old Dalton Gilsdorf was arrested in connection to the disturbance.
According to police, a family member called to report that Gilsdorf came home with a stolen bike. Both he and the bike matched the description provided to police by the father in Wednesday's incident.
Dalton was arrested for Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle, Trespassing, and Disturbing the Peace.
At this time, police do not believe Gilsdorf was trying to kidnap the children. Investigators say Gilsdorf has a history of theft and likely thought the vehicle was empty; therefore, police say the incident was likely an attempt to steal from the vehicle or possibly the vehicle itself.
