Overview
- A 14-year-old girl waiting at the Bamburgh Road bus stop in Clavering, Hartlepool, was approached and an attempt was made to grab her, but she escaped and was taken home unharmed and shaken.
- Cleveland Police say the incident happened shortly after 8am on Wednesday and that the suspect was seen in dark clothing with a hood, about 5ft 5ins to 5ft 11ins tall, with gender and ethnicity not established.
- Officers carried out area searches on foot and by vehicle, deployed a police drone, and have kept extra uniformed patrols in the area while the investigation continues.
- Police have asked residents to check CCTV, doorbell and dashcam footage and to contact 101 quoting reference SE26116639 with any information.
- Hartlepool district commanders have informed local schools and urged parents to speak to officers on patrol, and the visible response aims to reassure the community while detectives follow up leads.