Suburban Melbourne police seek help after kidnapping attempt

Police in suburban Melbourne are seeking help from the public to identify a young man involved in an attempted kidnapping of a woman on Wednesday night. The incident occurred around 9:15 PM as the 20-year-old woman was walking home after getting off a bus. The woman was approached from behind by the suspect near Thames Boulevard. He grabbed her around the chest and tried to pull her towards the road. The victim screamed and managed to escape, causing the man to flee in the opposite direction. Detective Sergeant Sean Nicholson called the event "every woman's worst nightmare." Although the woman was not physically harmed, she was left very upset. Nicholson praised her quick reaction for preventing a worse outcome. Authorities have labeled the incident an attempted kidnapping, and they have released CCTV footage showing the suspect. They believe the man's intentions remain unclear. They describe him as about 160 to 165 cm tall, slim, with short dark hair, and likely aged between 16 and 20. Police are asking local residents who were in the area at that time for any information, especially drivers who may have captured the incident on dashcam. Anyone with details should contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000. Officers are also interested in speaking to a driver of a dark four-wheel drive seen nearby during the incident.