Invercargill police are investigating a series of attempted
abductions by an older man with a white van - the latest
being the attempted abduction of a 17-year-old yesterday.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Bowman said about
9.45am at the corner of Wilton and George Streets a man
attempted to get the young woman into a white van.
She was able to run off towards Windsor Street.
The man was described as being possibly in his 50-60s with
grey/silver hair.
The van was described as white with tinted windows.
Mr Bowman said police were yet to interview the young woman,
who was "very shaken" by the ordeal.
"This is the latest of a number of reported incidents which
have involved an elderly male in a white van approaching
young children over the past month."
He said clearly police wanted to identify who the man was and
were asking the public who might have been in the area about
the time of the incident and had seen the white van or the
man approach the young woman to urgently contact them.
"If you see a suspicious vehicle in particular a white van
with an elderly male driving it in your area please take the
registration number and ring the police at the time."
Invercargill police also investigated two serious assaults,
in which five people were injured yesterday.
About 12.20am police attended an incident outside a Nelson
Street property where a 50-year-old man was alleged to have
assaulted two males and two females with a weapon, Mr Bowman
said.
The victims were treated at the Southland Hospital with
moderate to serious injuries.
All have since been discharged from the hospital.
Mr Bowman said a team of detectives from the Invercargill
Criminal Investigation Unit spent yesterday speaking to a
number of witnesses and victims and completing a scene
examination.
A 50-year-old man was arrested at the scene at the time of
the incident and will face a raft of serious assault charges
when he appears in the Invercargill District Court today.
And, about 8.30am yesterday, police were called to a stabbing
at an Earn Street address.
A 36-year-old man was hospitalised with moderate head
injuries and was later discharged, Mr Bowman said.
A 24-year-old man who was known to the victim has been
arrested and will also appear in the Invercargill District
Court today on assault charges with more serious charges
possible following further inquiries.
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