Police Hope Sketch & Surveillance Video Will Lead To Arrest In Vi Ripken Abduction
ABERDEEN, Md. (WJZ)—Aberdeen Police are still looking for help in identifying the man who kidnapped the mother of Cal Ripken Jr. Vi Ripken is now home safe, but her kidnapper is still on the loose.
Rochelle Ritchie has a look at what police hope will help nab the suspect.
Aberdeen Police have set up a special hotline just for this case. While tips have poured in for the last week and a half, there are still no arrests.
A 35-second video shows the man police say tied up Vi Ripken, threw her in the back of her car and drove her around central Maryland for an exhausting 24 hours. While tips have come, there are still no solid leads.
Wal-mart surveillance cameras show the man on the day of the kidnapping.
Police are not saying if the video was taken before or after the abduction.
"That's just horrible," said Michelle Switzer.
After speaking with witnesses, police were able to come up with a composite sketch. The suspect is a white man, weighing about 180 pounds with glasses.
The white shirt and orange baseball cap he is wearing in the video is the same clothing he wore the day of Ripken's kidnapping.
Last week, the 74-year-old mother of Cal Ripken Jr. was outside behind her home of 46 years when the suspect armed with a gun ran up to her and kidnapped her. The crime is shocking those throughout central Maryland.
"I just thought it was very strange someone would do something like that, but there are some very strange people out there," said Linda Keener.
Investigators are hoping someone visited the Wal-Mart the same day Ripken was kidnapped, and they're hoping they recognize the suspect in that video.
For those who frequent Wal-Mart in Glen Burnie, knowing the suspect is still out there is unnerving.
"Thinking anybody can be kidnapped, especially when you have children or if you're by yourself," Switzer said.
Police are hoping that concern will cause people to take a closer look at the photo in hopes of recognizing him and getting him off the streets.
The FBI, Maryland State Police, as well as the Harford County Sheriff's Office, are all assisting Aberdeen Police in the search for the suspect.
The Ripken family is not commenting publicly on the case.
