Bellingham man arrested, accused of attempting to lure kids to his car at Blaine candy shop
Whatcom County law enforcement arrested a man this week who is accused of attempting to lure children to his vehicle near a candy store.
Authorities say Corey Lee Cardwell, 53, of Bellingham, was speaking to two young children outside The C Shop candy store around 7:30 p.m. June 24 in Blaine. According to Deb Slater with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, he was offering the children candy and toys, and a witness claimed he said: “Do you guys never want to see your parents ever again?”
At one point Cardwell got a Frisbee out of the trunk to entice the children, Slater said.
A parent of the two children who was watching from inside the store came out and told Cardwell to leave the kids alone.
Cardwell then went inside the store, and sat next to three other children. Slater said Cardwell was heard saying: “Do you guys want money? I have money in the trunk.”
The parent of the first two children started to call 911, which reportedly prompted Cardwell to say he was not a terrorist before going to his car and driving toward Birch Bay State Park.
Cardwell was contacted by detectives on June 25 and denied all allegations. He showed the detectives the Frisbee in his trunk.
Witnesses positively identified Cardwell, and he was booked into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of five counts of luring, a felony.
