Two adolescent males have been apprehended after reports emerged of a young girl being coerced into a vehicle at a Tesco parking lot. Essex Police disclosed that a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old were taken into custody on suspicion of false imprisonment and subsequently released on bail pending further investigation.
The occurrence transpired around 6:50 pm on August 3 at the Tesco car park on Minton Lane. Subsequently, the vehicle journeyed to Epping, where the girl alighted from the car at Buckingham Road, near the junction with Lower Swaines, around 7:30 pm as per the girl’s report.
Acknowledging the assistance from the public in the investigation, the police expressed gratitude and appealed for additional information. DS Paul Marks, in an updated statement, stated, “We recognize the distress caused by this incident within the community and appreciate those who have provided information. Based on our current inquiries, we do not perceive an ongoing threat to the general public. The victim is receiving support from specialized officers as our investigation progresses.”
Authorities urge individuals with relevant information, including CCTV footage or dashcam recordings, to reach out to the police, quoting incident 1362 of August 3.
