Asking for directions

Asking for directions is a very common way to distract a potential victim...

Story 1:
West Virginia -- City police are working to determine if a possible abduction attempt in Martins Ferry late Sunday involved the man wanted in the recent abduction and rape of a Wheeling girl.

The suspect wanted in the abduction of the Wheeling girl also is believed to have been responsible for the attempted abduction of a Martins Ferry teen on Feb. 18. In both of those instances, the suspect asked the victim for directions before attacking them.

According to a report from the Martins Ferry Police Department, the suspect in Sunday's incident pulled along side the teen, and he became aggravated when she would not answer his questions. The report does not indicate what was asked.

Story 2:
Illinois -- Chicago Police are looking for two people who attempted to abduct a woman in the Hyde Park area on the South Side on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old woman was walking in the area about 10 p.m. Tuesday when a man asked her for directions, then grabbed her as she approached his vehicle. A struggle ensued and the woman was able to flee from the offender.

Story 3:
New Zealand -- Police are looking for a man in his late 20s or early 30s who attempted to get a 15 year old girl into his car in Wainuiomata last night.

Lower Hutt Police said the girl was walking home alone around 6.50pm when the man approached her in a car and asked for directions.

After giving him directions she carried on but a short time later noticed the same vehicle approach and stop in the middle of the road.

Police said the driver aggressively demanded she get into the vehicle the girl responded by screaming out which caused the man to drive away.

Source (1) - Source (2) - Source (3)