West Babylon man followed two teen girls, tried to grab one, police say

A West Babylon man followed teenage girls on two separate occasions and tried to pull one of them inside his van, Suffolk police said Wednesday in announcing his arrest.

Marwan Hanna, 59, followed a 14-year-old girl in his Ford van  on Main Street in Babylon about 7:15 p.m. Aug. 22, police said, but he drove off after a Good Samaritan confronted him.

Then about 3:15 p.m. on Sept. 7, he was driving in the parking lot of a Montauk Highway shopping center in West Babylon when he asked another 14-year-old girl if she needed a ride, police said. He demanded she get into his van and tried to pull her inside but the teenager escaped, police said.

First Precinct crime section officers arrested Hanna at his America Avenue home Tuesday night and charged him with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned Wednesday and released after posting a $750 cash bail, online court records show.

The name of Hanna's attorney was not immediately available Wednesday night. Hanna could not be reached.

Police urge anyone who may have been a victim of Hanna to call the First Precinct Crime Section at 631-854-8126.