Power workers give chase in schoolgirl abduction

Vector contractor Bruch Holland gave chase in Friday's schoolgirl abduction. Picture / Chris Skelton

A witness made a desperate attempt to rescue one of two teenaged girls on Friday after kidnapping attempts came agonisingly close to success.

Power contractors chased the man as he abducted a 14-year-old on her way to Western Springs College.

The man struck twice. At 8.30am, he told a 17-year-old girl she would be shot if she didn't get in his car, but she ran off screaming. Two hours later, he dragged the 14-year-old into his car and drove for nearly 1km before she escaped.

Leading the chase was Vector contractor Bruce Holland, who saw the second kidnapping. It brought back memories of Jenny Hargreaves, 17, his daughter's best friend, who was abducted and murdered five years ago. "I saw him grab the girl - he swept her off balance. I pushed my friend aside and ran down the road shouting 'that man's abducting that girl. Get him. Get him'. I wasn't going to let this be another Jenny."

Mr Holland and his colleagues ran down the street where the man was dragging the screaming girl into his car. But they were 50m away when the car took off. "I watched it drive off with the back door open. I could see her in the back seat, kicking and giving him hell. I hope she got him where it hurts," said Mr Holland.

The car drove about 800m around the corner before slowing at an intersection, where the girl was able to escape out the back door. She ran to her home nearby and her mother called police.

Witness Sabrina Prossler said: "She looked seriously scared ... She left her bag and jacket behind and was running back and forward."

Police are looking for a male Caucasian in his late 20s to early 30s, 1.75m tall, with fair skin, brown hazel eyes, and a skinny build.

He has a New Zealand accent and a croaky voice and may have a mullet-style haircut. He was driving a muddy, dark grey 1992-95 Honda Vigor or Accord with a licence plate beginning with TL.

Detective Senior Sergeant Glen Baldwin appealed for witnesses: "This man is a real concern to the community and police. He's a predator preying on school girls and he needs to be caught."