Police charge man over abduction attempt in Whittlesea
Police have charged a man who allegedly attempted to abduct a woman in broad daylight on Friday.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A man who allegedly grabbed and dragged a woman towards his car in Whittlesea in a terrifying daylight abduction has been hit with a slew of charges including attempted kidnapping.
CCTV footage of the incident appears to show a man getting out of his grey Mitsubishi Tritan ute and stopping a 27-year-old woman along Forest St in Whittlesea about 6.20pm.
The man abruptly grabs and allegedly tries to drag the woman into his car, with residents nearby the scene saying they could hear the woman screaming for help.
Despite a short struggle, the woman was able to free herself and escape unharmed.
Police believe the same man was seen getting out of his ute and approaching two girls a short time earlier.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the girls, aged 13 and 14, had been riding their scooters on Oak Bank Blvd when a man stopped them.
One of the girls, Ally Hawking, said the man had asked them for directions and tried to usher them inside his car.
“He was really close to us and then he said ‘come have a look in the back of my car,’” Ally told 9News.
Despite both girls being able to flee the incident unharmed, Ally said the incident made her feel “very scared” and nauseous.
Ally’s mother, Amy Hawking, said the wider community had been shaken by the incident.
“My daughter couldn’t sleep last night, we were all beside ourselves,” Ms Hawking said.
A 39-year-old Mill Park man was intercepted by police while driving on the Midland Hwy in Shepparton on Saturday morning.
On Sunday he was charged with aggravated burglary and two counts of aggravated assault and attempted kidnapping.
The man was remanded into custody and will appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on October 28.
Man seriously injured in violent Chapel St stabbing
A man has been rushed to hospital and witnesses have described “blood everywhere” at the scene after a violent stabbing on Chapel St.
Police officers in hospital after colliding with car in dramatic arrest
A man is set to front court and two police officers are in hospital after a dramatic arrest over a string of alleged armed robberies in Melbourne’s southeast.