Man charged in Upper Darby luring attempts

Annie McCormick Image
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Man charged in Upper Darby luring attempts
Man charged in Upper Darby luring attempts. Annie McCormick reports during Action News at 4pm on April 9, 2019.

UPPER DARBY, Pa. (WPVI) -- A man has been arrested in connection with two luring attempts in Upper Darby, Delaware County.

Police arrested 25-year-old Eudy Najera-Arita on Monday night after a patrol officer recognized the vehicle he was driving as the same car wanted in connection with two attempted lurings.

Around 3 p.m. Friday near Long Lane and Clinton Road, an 11-year-old girl reported a man tried to get her to come into his vehicle.

The girl fled and called police.

Twenty minutes later, near Midway Avenue and Littlecroft Road, a 16-year-old girl said a man tried to lure her into his car and was exposing and touching himself.

She also ran.

Both girls have the same description of the vehicle: a dark gray, silver or blue sedan with tinted windows, likely a 2016 Toyota Corolla.

Surveillance video captured a vehicle fitting that description along with a partial license plate around the time of the incidents.

Court records state the video shows the 11-year-old "stop and turn towards the actor in his vehicle then continue walking on Long Lane," which places the suspect, vehicle and victim together.

Court records also say the vehicle Najera-Arita was driving when officers pulled him over Monday not only fit the description from the girls, it also looked the same as the vehicle in surveillance video and the partial plate recorded matched Najera-Arita's license plate.

The suspect agreed to go to Upper Darby Police Headquarters and through an Upper Darby police officer fluent in Spanish he confessed to approaching the girls.

According to an affidavit, "he then identified himself circling his car and himself standing outside of it prior to attempting to lure the 11-year-old into his car."

During a preliminary arraignment Tuesday morning Najera-Arita told the judge through an interpreter he was innocent.

The judge ordered $300,000 cash bail.

Immigration Customs Enforcement put a detainer on the suspect. Authorities say the Honduras native who resides in Upper Darby is here illegally.