‘Let’s go, buddy.’ Stranger tries coaxing toddler to leave store with him, CA cops say

A father looking for his missing 2-year-old son in a California thrift store on Saturday found him in another aisle with a stranger, who took the boy’s hand and told him, “let’s go, buddy,” police say.

The father confronted the stranger as he tried to lead the toddler to the front of the Goodwill of Silicon Valley store at 845 First St., Gilroy police say in a release. The man let go of the boy’s hand and left.

By the time the dad warned store employees, they had already ejected the man for shoplifting, police say.

Once outside, the man began to yell and hit the building, prompting employees to lock the doors, officers wrote in the release. The incident, which took place at about 3 p.m., was reported to police a day later.

Gilroy police arrested Cesar Gutierrez, 39, Monday night on suspicion of kidnapping and violating probation, KSBW reported.

Detectives ask that anyone with information on the man or the incident call 408-846-0335 or the anonymous tip line at 408-846-0330.

This story was originally published January 28, 2020 at 7:31 AM.