Appeal to trace driver of a car who approached schoolgirl in Rochdale

Detectives are re-appealing for information and help to trace the driver of a vehicle who approached a schoolgirl in Rochdale.

On Monday 24 June 2019, police were called to Kingsway, near to the junction with Moss Bridge Road, to reports of suspicious circumstances at around 7.15am that morning.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/128700/12-year-old-girl-approached-by-stranger-in-a-car

As a 12-year-old girl walked by, the driver of a parked five-door silver Toyota Yaris – who was unknown to her – told her to get into the car.

When she carried on walking, he followed her as she walked onto Turf Hill Road.

He again asked if she needed a lift and when she refused, drove off towards Broad Lane.

The driver is described as an Asian man, aged between 35 and 40 years-old.

He was clean-shaven with dark hair and was wearing a blue jacket with yellow on the sleeves and silver reflective stripes down the front.

The car had a distinctive dent on the rear passenger offside door. There was a red child's seat in the back with two dark-coloured coats on the rear parcel shelf.

As part of the investigation, officers arrested a man but he has since been eliminated from enquiries.

Detective Sergeant Tim O’Callaghan of GMP’s Rochdale District, said: “Our enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the events that Monday morning remain very much ongoing but we do need the public’s help.

“If you have any footage from around that time, whether that be CCTV or dashcam footage, please do get in touch with us at the earliest opportunity.

“You may not feel that any information or footage that you have is relevant to our investigation but please, let us make that assessment.

“We’re still appealing for witnesses who may have seen the vehicle or the man described and I’d encourage them to call us with any information whatsoever.”

Anyone with information should contact Rochdale CID on 0161 856 8441 quoting incident 1335 of 24/06/19 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.