Woman Arrested for Trying to Kidnap Girl in Santa Monica

Santa Monica police apprehended a woman on Wednesday after she allegedly attempted to kidnap an 8-year-old girl while impersonating a Russian police officer. The incident occurred as the girl was assisting her neighbor, Mark, in loading pets into a vehicle. According to reports, the suspect, identified as Perrone, claimed to be a police officer and attempted to forcibly take the child from Mark, who intervened to protect her. Mark recounted the harrowing experience, stating that Perrone knelt down and tried to wrestle the girl away from him, insisting she was there to "save" her. In a desperate move, Mark placed the girl in the front seat of his car to shield her from the alleged kidnapper. Perrone reportedly took note of the vehicle's information before making another attempt to pull the girl out, prompting Mark to firmly shut the door and demand she leave. The situation escalated when Perrone brandished a switchblade, threatening Mark as he backed away. In a swift reaction, Mark jumped into his car and drove off, with Perrone chasing after them. Police later located her at a nearby Gelson's parking lot next to her white BMW. Although officers arrested Perrone for assault with a deadly weapon, she was released due to insufficient evidence. She is currently on probation for a previous assault conviction in Nevada and faces additional misdemeanor charges.