BELLEVUE, Wash. — Bellevue police are looking for a man who reportedly tried to kidnap a 16-year-old girl on Friday.
“What makes it so concerning is that the suspect didn’t know the victim. This was a random encounter; he saw her on the bus and then attempted this abduction,” said Officer Seth Tyler, PIO with the Bellevue Police Department.
According to Bellevue PD, officers responded to the parking lot of the Lake Hills QFC store around 4 p.m. Friday and found the teen on 145th Place SE.
The teenager told police that the suspect was on the same Metro bus as her, and he tried to take her when they both got off.
“The man that had been on the bus with her also got off, followed her down the sidewalk and then grabbed her backpack and attempted to drag her into a bush area,” said Officer Tyler.
Investigators say the teen made enough noise to get the attention of someone walking by who stepped in to help and called 911.
The suspect is described as a male in his 30s, who was last seen wearing a black puffy jacket, black pants, and grey shoes or boots. Bellevue Police released surveillance pictures, asking the community to contact them if they recognize the man.
If you recognize him, contact the Bellevue Police Department or leave an anonymous tip on crimestoppers.com.
Officer Tyler says if you find yourself in a similar situation, make a scene, scream and get people’s attention.
“If they see something that’s not right tell the bus driver, go into a business that’s open, tell an adult or you can call 911,” he said.
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