Bystanders stop man both times he attempted to kidnap girls, officials say

Prosecutors said a Michigan man attempted to kidnap two girls in separate incidents, and both times he was stopped by bystanders who intervened and allowed the girls to escape safely.

On the afternoon of Aug. 13, Endi Bala allegedly tried to imprison a 15-year-old who was walking along a road in Clinton Township, which is located just outside of Detroit. A witness intervened, allowing the victim to escape, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office .

About an hour later, Bala reportedly went to Clinton River Park North in nearby Sterling Heights and grabbed a 7-year-old girl off her bicycle, put her in his car and attempted to drive away. Officials said a bystander boxed in his vehicle to keep him from driving off, allowing the young girl to escape.

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Bala, 23, has been charged with attempted unlawful imprisonment, assault and battery, kidnapping and reckless driving.

He was arraigned on Tuesday in the 41B Clinton Township District Court, where a magistrate set bond at $2 million and ordered a mental health evaluation. Bala was also arraigned in the 41A Sterling Heights District Court, where he was denied bond, and will continue to be held in Macomb County Jail.

“As a community, we owe an immense debt of gratitude to the courageous Good Samaritans who stepped in without hesitation, risking their own safety to save these young girls,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido in a press release. “Their quick actions not only thwarted a crime but also ensured that these brave girls were able to return home safely.”