John MacDonald: Attempted kidnapping - 'don't take personal safety for granted'

Police want to identify this man after an attempted kidnapping in Christchurch. Photo / Supplied

OPINION

At 6.20am on Monday, a woman was out running in Fendalton, Christchurch.

A man she didn't know approached her and tried to drag her away. But he took off when someone who was driving past saw what was going on, pulled over and intervened.

How much of a hero is that person?

The Police are describing what happened as an attempted kidnapping and they're on the hunt for this guy.

They're describing him as possibly being of Indian descent, about five-foot-eight, five-foot-nine in height, with short black hair and a short beard.

And they particularly want to talk to anyone who might've been driving past the spot where this happened on Monday morning.

The reports are saying the woman was left shaken by what happened - but that won't explain half of how she'll be feeling, will it?

There she was, out for a morning run, minding her own business, and this guy tries to do the unthinkable. So, if you have any information that might help the Police track him down, get in touch with the Police.

A bit more detail about him: they're saying he's believed to be between 25 and 33 years old and was wearing a dark-coloured vest and dark-coloured tracksuit pants, with one trouser leg rolled up towards the knee.

So a pretty good description, considering the shock this poor woman would've been in when and after it happened. And let's hope the Police find him ASAP.

At about the same time as this happened, I was heading into work. And, pretty much every day when I ride in, I find myself amazed at the number of women out running and walking on their own. Some are obviously exercising, others look like they're heading to work.

Now before you go getting any ideas, this is not me saying that this poor woman shouldn't have been out running on her own at 6.20am on Monday.

I'm not saying that at all. In fact, she and all the other women I see every day on my way into work, have every right to go wherever they want - whenever they want.

Nevertheless, it does surprise me when I see a woman out in the dark on her own. Which probably reflects my sense of security, as much as anything. Because I don't think it's just women who are at risk in this city.

I get a very hard time at home sometimes when I get a bit antsy about the teenagers walking somewhere at night.

This is the boys I'm talking about. And even though they're both six feet tall, sporty, go to the gym and are more than capable of looking after themselves - as they tell me on a daily basis - despite all that, I still think it's dodgy even for them to be on the street after dark.

We had an experience ourselves one night walking home after we'd been around the corner watching rugby with friends. So this was about 10 o'clock and some guy who was off his nut on something came out of nowhere and tried to run us down on a pushbike.

He came off second-best after whacking his head on a tree, but we were really shaken by that and, ever since, I've probably been more cautious than I used to be.

In town on Friday or Saturday night is another time I'm really cautious because it seems to me that the threat of danger is just around the corner.

So I always make sure that I either walk people back to their car or, if I'm driving, I give them a lift to where they're parked.

This is why, in some respects, what happened to this poor woman in Fendalton on Monday morning doesn't surprise me. I think it's appalling, I think she had every right to go for a run without this happening to her - just like I think anyone (male, female or whatever) should be able to run or walk the streets safely. Anytime, day or night.

But, as far as I'm concerned, I don't think we can take that for granted. Because, from my perspective - and sadly - I don't feel that Christchurch is the kind of place where you can expect, or assume, that you'll be safe any time of the day or night.

The guy who attacked this woman in Fendalton on Monday morning - and let's not beat around the bush, the police are calling it an attempted kidnapping but it was an attack - he needs to be off the streets ASAP and I hope the Police can track him down pretty quickly.