Police appeal to public to identify young male who attempted to kidnap woman as she walked home
In short:
Police have released footage of a young male grabbing a young woman after she got off a bus at Tarneit in Melbourne's west.
The woman screamed and "struggled away", causing the offender to run off along Thames Boulevard towards Harmony Drive.
What's next?
Police are appealing for information, including about a driver who was in the area at the time and might have witnessed the incident.
Police are "desperate" to identify a young male who attempted to kidnap a woman in Melbourne's west, saying they want to prevent any "escalation in behaviour".
Detectives are looking for the male who approached the 20-year-old woman after she got off a bus in Tarneit on Wednesday night about 9:15pm.
Detective sergeant Sean Nicholson from the Westgate Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT) said the woman was walking along Thames Boulevard after alighting from the bus near the intersection with Melpomene Boulevard.
He said the man came up to her from behind, reached and grabbed her around the chest and tried to drag her towards the road.
The woman screamed and "struggled away", causing the offender to run off along Thames Boulevard towards Harmony Drive.
Detective Sergeant Sean Nicholson described the incident as "every woman's worst nightmare". (ABC News)
The woman was not physically injured in the incident but Sergeant Nicholson said she was "extremely distraught and distressed".
"She was very brave in her reactions, and very quick and prompt, which no doubt saved [her and stopped] anything further bad from happening," he said.
Detectives have described the incident as an attempted kidnapping and have released CCTV footage of the perpetrator grabbing the victim.
Sergeant Nicholson said the offender's intentions were unclear.
"So we're really desperate to identify him and speak to him, hold him to account so that any escalation in behaviour is stopped," he said.
"It's disturbing and probably every woman's worst nightmare that you're simply walking home at a reasonable hour at night and then beset upon by an unknown male."
The male is described as being approximately 160 to 165cm tall and of slim build with short dark hair, and is believed to be aged between 16 and 20.
"We're seeking assistance from the community, especially the local community who may have been in the area at that time, either driving past who may have inadvertently caught the incident on dashcam or simply may have been walking in the area and noticed something suspicious," Sergeant Nicholson said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or anonymously at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
The appeal includes information about the driver of a dark coloured four-wheel drive who was in the area at the time and might have witnessed the incident.