The Brussels public prosecutor's office is investigating an attempted kidnapping in a Brussels tram last week, as a man is said to have tried to abduct a 12-year-old girl but several witnesses were able to prevent it.
An unknown man reportedly tried to kidnap the girl at the Lemonnier pre-metro stop around 16:30 last Tuesday, near Brussels Midi Station, report the Francophone Sudpresse newspapers.
The Brussels public prosecutor's office confirmed that an investigation into the incident has been opened. "We take this very seriously. But in the interests of the investigation, we cannot give any further information at the moment," spokesperson Willemien Baert told La Capitale.
Witnesses of the incident told the newspaper that the girl and a friend were sitting in a tram carriage when she gave up her seat to another passenger. Then, she was reportedly approached by a man who touched her necklace.
Related News
- Woman pushed in front of Brussels metro, suspect arrested
- Annual STIB pass price lowered to just €12 for all 18- to 24-year-olds
- Woman dies after being pushed onto subway tracks in New York
At the next stop (Lemonnier), the man got off the tram and tried to pull the girl with him, but several passengers managed to prevent this and made sure that the man could not get back on the tram.
The man fled and has not been seen since. According to a witness, he was of slim build and is about 1.75 m tall, with a rather unkempt appearance. He also wore a dark colour scarf around one of his forearms.
At the Midi Station stop, the girl got off the tram with one of the witnesses, who stayed with her until her parents arrived. The parents then filed a complaint with the Federal Railway Police.
