Police appeal after daylight kidnap horror

Nov 2 2009 by Joanne Butcher, The Journal

POLICE are hunting for a kidnapper after he tried to snatch a woman from a suburban Tyneside street in broad daylight at the weekend.

The terrifying incident happened at around 8.30am on Claremont Gardens in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, on Saturday morning but the young woman managed to fight off her would-be attacker and ran away.

The 20-year-old victim was walking along Claremont Gardens when a green Vauxhall Astra MK4 slowed down and stopped beside her. The male driver, who is said to be white, in his 40s and well-built, opened the door and grabbed the woman.

He shouted at her to get in the car while he held onto her arm but she struggled to get free and managed to break the man’s hold. She then fled the scene.

The woman was left extremely shaken, but otherwise uninjured in the attack.

Now police are appealing for information to help them track down the predator. They are asking for anyone who was in the area at the time and saw the green car or anything else suspicious to contact them.

But officers have stressed that the incident was extremely rare for somewhere like Whitley Bay and they believe it was an isolated attack. Detective Sergeant Paul Devlin, of Whitley Bay CID, said: “This was a very unusual incident and obviously a very frightening experience for the woman involved. I would ask anyone with information about the incident, or who may have been close by and seen or heard something, to contact police. All information will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence.”

Anyone with information should call Whitley Bay CID on 03456 043 043 ex 63126 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.