Man dressed as Santa charged with attempted kidnapping

PARMA, Ohio (AP) — Police in suburban Cleveland say a man dressed as Santa Claus and carrying a sack of candy canes tried to kidnap a 12-year-old girl as she walked to school.

Parma Police Capt. Robert De-Simone says 46-year-old Anthony Russo of Brook Park is being held in the city jail pending charges expected today.

DeSimone says Russo was hiding in bushes Wednesday and jumped out at the girl. He says Russo tried to get the girl into the bushes, but she walked away. DeSimone says the man followed the girl and twice grabbed her arm before she entered a beverage store.

Police say Russo was later arrested on a Cleveland bus wearing a Santa suit, with pillow and beard, and carrying the sack, a large box of candy canes and a unicycle adorned with Christmas decorations.