Second attempted abduction.

[NF9]

Just for warning if anyone has children walking home by themselves

From The Argus

Police have put extra patrols outside schools after two attempted abductions of young girls in less than a week.

Detectives are warning children and parents to be on their guard after the latest incident where an 11-year-old was grabbed in the street.

The youngster was on her way to school when a stranger lurking in the entrance to a block of flats tried to drag her away by the wrist.

The girl managed to wriggle out of his grip and run to the school for help.

Yesterday Officers were patrolling outside the girl’s school, Coombe Road Primary in Brighton.

Police will also be outside the school again today.

The incident comes just six days after another 11-year-old girl was approached by a man near bushes in Preston Park at around 5pm as she made her way home from Stanford Junior School on Stanford Road.

The girl was badly shaken by the incident and her mother reported it to police immediately.

Both men are described as being pale and in their early 20s but the incidents are not being linked.

Detective Sergeant Dave Osland of Brighton and Hove CID said: “The two men are a similar age but their descriptions are quite different - the man in Preston Park had a shaven head whereas the one in Coombe Road had a full head of black hair.

“We will be working with the girl to put together a photo fit and in the meantime warn all parents and children to be very aware.

”The man's behaviour was very upsetting to the young girl and we are treating the matter very seriously.”

The incident happened as the girl made her way down Coombe Road at around 8.30am on Wednesday.

Coombe Road School financial manager Jean Smith said:”She was quite shaken.

“He had pulled her into the little archway at the car park in front of the flats.

“But she managed to run off and came for help at the school.”

“Stranger-danger” letters have gone out to all parents and pupils at both schools.

A spokeswoman from Coombe Road School said yesterday that teachers were talking to the children about the incident.

Ms Smith said: “We did have quite a lot of calls from worried parents.

“Mainly from the parents of the ones who walk in on their own as the little ones usually come with their mum or dad.

“There were police outside at 3pm on Wednesday, then again at 8am on Thursday.”

Tariq Rahman, owner of the convenience store next to where the girl was grabbed said: “The police sealed off the area, but I didn't see anything unusual before they arrived.

“I am surprised no one saw anything because it is really busy at that time.”

Coombe Road resident Lawrence Harkness said: “You get all kinds of strangers along here because of the shops and the cafe.

“To tell the truth I'm not that surprised.

“It's very sad that it's happened to such a young girl though.”

Police are trying to trace the man, who was described as white, 6ft tall and around 20 years old. He was pale skinned with short dark spikey hair and was wearing a black hooded top with an orange 'Nike' tick on the front.

Keep an eye out.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

That is really horrible stuff. I do the school pick-up for children going to the after school club at one of those schools. Gonna be extra vigilant.