A woman, 20, has managed to escape from a kidnapper during a horrifying incident in Tarneit, Melbourne, caught on CCTV footage this week.
The woman was walking along Thames Boulevard after exiting a bus near the intersection of Melpomene Boulevard at about 9.15pm on Wednesday when she was approached by an unknown man, Victoria Police said.
He grabbed her and attempted to drag her towards the road, but she struggled and managed to break free.
The would-be kidnapper then fled south on Thames Boulevard, and is described as being approximately 160-165cm tall, of slim build with short dark hair, and in his late teens to early 20s.
CCTV footage shows a horrifying attempted kidnapping of a woman, 20, in Tarneit, Melbourne, this week.
Police described the attacker as 160-165cm tall, of slim build with short dark hair, and in his late teens to early 20s. pic.twitter.com/IGtRuHFmoj
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Investigators have released CCTV showing the man grab the victim, and of the woman screaming, but said the woman was unable to get a good look at the offender since the attack happened so fast.
Victoria Police Detective Sergeant Sean Nicholson from the Westgate Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team said the victim was “extremely distraught and distressed” and described the kidnapping attempt as “every woman’s worst nightmare”.
“Her reaction really unsettled the offender and caused him to run straight away,” he said.
“She was very brave in her reactions and very quick and prompt, which, no doubt, saved anything further from happening.”
He said police believe the offender could be local, and police were looking into whether he had been stalking the victim but and believe it is an isolated incident.
Investigators would also like to speak to the driver of a dark coloured 4WD that was in the area at the time and might have witnessed the incident.
Header image credit: Victoria Police.
