A man in a van attempted to abduct a Melbourne schoolgirl as she was walking home alone, and then drove off erratically.
The man, who was driving a white commercial van, did a U-turn in traffic after driving alongside the 11-year-old girl.
When he repeatedly asked her to get in the van, she became scared and ran off.
Police have security camera footage of a suspect van in the area soon after the incident, which occurred about 3.25pm on Monday last week in Francis Street, Yarraville.
"He's pulled up, stopped and opened the passenger door," Detective Senior Constable Brendan O'Mahoney told reporters on Tuesday.
"He asked a couple of times ... words to the effect of 'Get in the car, jump in, I'll give you a lift home'.
"When she ran he did a U-turn and, as she's looked over her shoulder, he was coming up behind her."
The girl ran into a side street and the man drove off.
Police want to speak to anyone with in-car security cameras who may have filmed the van, which had no side windows.
"We'd also like to speak to anyone who was in the area and may have been cut off by a van ... or who remembers anyone driving erratically," Det Sen Const O'Mahoney said.
The driver is described as being of Indian appearance and aged about 30, with a distinctive scar on his inner right forearm.
He was wearing an orange turban, had a skinny build and an Australian accent.
Share
