A Brooklyn man was arrested after he as caught on camera attempting to kidnap a child walking with his father, according to a report.
The incident unfolded Saturday afternoon when Stephan Stowe, 28, allegedly tried to abduct a 6-year-old boy from his dad in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, ABC 7 reported.
The attempted snatching was captured on surveillance footage shared by the Crown Heights Shomrim Patrol, which led to Stowe's arrest the next day.
Stowe, who happens to be the family's neighbor, is reportedly a repeat offender with over 30 arrests, as reported by PIX11. He is currently facing several charges, including second-degree kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child.
"He'd always hold the door, he always was nice," the boy's mother told ABC 7.
The act has sparked outrage within the local community, especially given recent tensions involving attacks against members of the Orthodox Jewish community, of which the boy and his father are part of.
"I don't think it was a hate crime, but it was scary. It was like a scary incident. When you live in New York, you don't expect someone to attack a six-year-old and take him away from his parents," the mother told the outlet.
Local law enforcement, including NYPD and community patrol groups, are working together to investigate the matter further and prevent further attacks.
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