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Girl eludes abduction attempt
A St. Petersburg neighborhood is on alert after a man tried to pull a teen into his car early Friday morning.
By Ron Matus
Published March 3, 2006
ST. PETERSBURG - Police are asking for help in finding a man who tried to abduct a Tyrone Middle School student this morning.
According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, the 15-year-old was walking to school about 9:25 a.m., near 21st Avenue N and Hampton Drive N, when a car passed her, made a U-turn and drove up next to her. A man got out, grabbed her by the arm and tried to force her into the car. She kicked him in the shin and ran to school.
The vehicle is described as a small, sporty, black late model 2-door coupe with a black hardtop and silver hubcaps.
The man is described as a white male, 25 to 30 years old, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10, 150 to 160 pounds, with spiked black hair and no facial hair. He was wearing a black-and-blue striped polo-style shirt, with blue jeans and black, skater-style sneakers.
"I'm aware and my students are aware that these things happen," Tyrone Middle School Principal Stephanie Adkinson said. "But when it hits home, you're kind of taken aback."
Adkinson said Tyrone Middle School parents would be notified by phone about the incident this afternoon. She also planned to urge her students to be extra vigilant on the way home.
Some students were already aware of the incident because the girl immediately went to first period upon arriving at school and told her friends, Adkinson said. The friends urged the girl to report what happened to authorities.
The girl's mother was immediately notified.
The eighth-grader is "in good standing," Adkinson said. "We don't have any reason not to believe this child," she said.
Police had no other recent reports of abductions or attempted abductions.
A composite sketch is not possible because the girl reported that the man had some kind of material covering his nose.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Pete Venero at (727) 893-4940 or the police communications center at (727) 893-7780.
[Last modified March 3, 2006, 16:26:56]
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