Masked 'white van man' tries to snatch girl, 12, off street

POLICE have launched a major investigation after a man wearing a balaclava attempted to abduct a 12-year-old girl in daylight.

The man tried to drag the screaming girl into a white van in the village of Carnwath, South Lanarkshire. She managed to fight him off but was left badly shaken by her ordeal.

She said she noticed the van was parked on the same side of the road as her but was facing the opposite direction.

As she approached, a man got out of the vehicle and pulled a balaclava over his face. He grabbed her arm and tried to pull her into his van but she kicked at him and shouted for help then got away. The man drove off.

Detective Inspector Paul Swinburne said: "It's vital that we trace this man as soon as possible. His attempt to drag the girl into his van was made in broad daylight on a relatively busy road.

"I feel certain that due to the time and the location, several people would have seen either him or the vehicle and I would ask them to come forward to assist with our inquiry, no matter how trivial they believe their information to be.

"The description of the man is very distinct and I am asking anyone who thinks they may know his identity to contact us."

The attack happened as the girl walked in the street on Friday 14 May at around 4.30pm.

The man is described as white, slim, around 20 years old and 5ft 9in tall.

He was wearing a pale blue, sleeveless top and navy blue tracksuit bottoms tucked into tan-coloured safety rigger boots. His tracksuit bottoms had holes in the knees. His balaclava, or black woolly hat, smelt strongly of oil.

News of the incident has shocked people in the quiet village.

One resident said: "The girl's family are very anxious about this and are praying the police catch someone soon.

"Carnwath is a small place and the village is stunned that something like this happened in full view on the main street.

"The girl is very shaken by what's happened and everyone in the community is now on alert for anything that looks out of the ordinary.

"The sooner the culprit is found, the sooner everyone can feel safe again."

In a separate incident the next day, a 42-year-old woman in Glasgow was held captive and robbed in her car, a gold-coloured Ford Focus.

She was returning to the vehicle in Bridgeton at around 5pm on Saturday when a man threatened her and forced her into the car's back seat.

Another man got into the car and the pair stole a small amount of cash from the woman.

The robbers then drove off with their victim still in the vehicle.

They then robbed several people in Dennistoun, threatening them in the street and forcing them to hand over cash.

Detective Inspector Graham Cordner, of London Road police station, said: "This was a despicable crime which placed the woman in a highly distressed state and was followed by further crimes in the local area."