Hair-Pulling Attacker Scrams When He Finds Out About Store's Cameras: Police

The man appeared to be trying to drag the woman by the hair into a store storage room at Woodbury Town Center

Police released surveillance video Monday of a man attempting to drag an store employee by the hair into a storage room at Woodbury Town Center in Irvine, California.

The earlier release of the surveillance video led to an arrest Monday afternoon. 

The attempted kidnapping happened just before 7:20 p.m. Saturday at the Mon Beau Bebe store at 6226 Irvine Blvd., according to Kim Mohr of the Irvine Police Department. The woman was working alone at the store, which sells high-end clothing and other items for babies.

The video captured a short interaction between the man, dressed in a white shirt and plaid shorts, and the woman. As she looked away for a moment, he grabbed her by the hair and tried to drag her into the storage room. The woman struggled with the man, and when she told him the store had surveillance cameras, he let her go and fled, Mohr said.

Charlie Choi, 47, of Irvine was arrested about 4:30 p.m. at his home in the 300 block of Fountainhead in the Portola Springs area. 

Police used tips from the public and other investigative leads to track Choi down. 

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 949-724-7179 or email at ekim@cityofirvine.org.

City News Service contributed to this report. 

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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