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2 Arrested In Connection With 2 Attempted Child Abductions In Queens

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with two attempted abductions of children in Queens Village.

Police said Joshua Wright, 17, and Andrew Ghulam, 16, were arrested and charged with two counts each of attempted unlawful imprisonment, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal possession of a weapon, and harassment. Both teens are from Queens.

1010 WINS: 2 In Custody In Connection With 2 Attempted Abductions Of Children In Queens

Police said both incidents happened Wednesday afternoon.

The first happened around 4 p.m. in the area of 111th Avenue and 208th Street as an 11-year-old girl was returning home from school, police said.

She noticed a dark-green SUV with two people inside was slowly following her when the passenger of the vehicle got out and, while wearing a black mask, tried to talk to her, police said.

The girl ran away and the two fled in the SUV, police said.

A short time later in the area of 113th Avenue and 196th Street, police said three girls, ages 10 and 11, noticed they were being followed by a green Jeep Cherokee, police said.

That's when the driver passed a gun to the passenger, who then pulled a mask over his face and got out of the car, police said.

The girls took off and hid behind a parked car until the suspects drove away. Police said they circled back and passed by the girls a second time before eventually leaving the area.

One man in the neighborhood of the second incident told 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria the news was alarming because the area is full of kids.

"Right by the park where the kids come out to play and stuff. There's a school -- P.S. 118 -- right over here," he said.

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