5-YEAR-OLD MISSING IN VAN NUYS; KIDNAPPING FEARED IN DISAPPEARANCE.

Byline: Phillip W. Browne Daily News Staff Writer

A transient handyman befriended by a San Fernando Valley family was believed to have kidnapped their 5-year-old daughter, police said Saturday.

Authorities said they were baffled as to why the man, identified as Raul Rodriguez, would abduct Joanna Lopez, especially since he had known the girl's family for more than a year.

The girl's mother pleaded Saturday at the Van Nuys police headquarters for Rodriguez to free her daughter.

``If you are watching television or see the news, please return my daughter,'' Delmi Estrada, 24, said, speaking through a Spanish interpreter. Estrada told reporters she had trusted Rodriguez and that he was like a ``grandfather figure'' to Joanna.

``I did not think he was a bad person, and I am not looking for him to be harmed,'' she said.

Los Angeles Police Capt. Bob McNamara, a commander at the Van Nuys division, said investigators know of no ``logical motivation'' for Rodriguez to have taken the child. The suspect doesn't appear to have a criminal record, but they're not sure if Rodriguez is his real name.

``He might have taken her for ice cream and come back to see the police cars and got scared,'' McNamara said. ``This is a very sensitive case, and we will do everything in our power to get her back. Our only concern is the girl's safe return.''

During the past year, Rodriguez had been a handyman and laborer for many residents at the apartment complex in the 6600 block of Sepulveda Blvd., police said. In return, residents gave him food and a place to sleep.

``He was friendly with most of the kids in the complex and often played with them,'' McNamara said. ``Once he dressed up like a clown while he was playing with them.''

About 10 p.m. Friday, Rodriguez was helping Estrada unload boxes from a 1994 Ford Aerostar to move them up to her apartment. While retrieving the final load, Joanna walked out to the van with Rodriguez, McNamara said.

``When they didn't return to the apartment, the mother went out to find the van, Rodriguez and her daughter missing,'' McNamara said. ``The van belonged to one of Estrada's friends, but the suspect had the keys while he was unloading.''

Rodriguez had recently talked about going to Las Vegas and ``due to the possibility of travel to Nevada, the (FBI) has been notified,'' McNamara said.

A battery of officers in patrol cars and in helicopters searched the San Fernando Valley throughout the night but didn't find them, McNamara said.

Joanna was last seen wearing a pink sweat suit with a brown bear on it and black sandals with flowers on them, police said. She is about 3 feet tall and weighs about 42 pounds.

Rodriguez was described as 45 to 48 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing about 165 pounds, police said. He has a distinctive abdomen that is concave below his rib cage, but protrudes along his hip area.

He was wearing blue jeans, a blue long-sleeve shirt and beige shoes.

The van's license plate number is 3HPX246.

Anyone with any information on the kidnapping was asked to call Van Nuys station detectives at [phone] or the LAPD's detective headquarters at [phone].

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Joanna Lopez

Last seen Friday night

(2) Raul Rodriguez

Suspected of taking girl, van