This article is from page 1 of the 2007-03-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 1 JPG
The 20-year-old woman was work- ing outside a florists at The Square, Sixmilebridge at around 10.45am on Saturday when a masked man tried to force her into a van.
A man wearing a balaclava tried to pull her into a green van in which he was travelling. A struggle ensued and the young woman managed to escape, before the van was driven at
speed in the direction of Kilkishen.
It is understood that two other men were travelling in the van.
The same woman, a third-level Student in Limerick, was robbed at knifepoint in Limerick on March 15. Her purse was stolen. Gardai set up an identity parade, but she didn’t identify anyone.
Gardai say they are not ruling out the possibility that both incidents are linked but are also investigating the possibility that Saturday’s incident may have been sexually motivated or could have been an attempted rob- Ae
Gardai are keen to establish if the
victim was specifically targeted, or if it was a random abduction attempt on the young woman who had re- ceived a lift to Sixmilebridge earlier derlmpeslevwennntcs
She was said to be deeply trauma- tised following the incidents, but did not sustain any serious injuries.
Gardai have spoken to a number of people who were in the Sixmilebri- dge area early on Saturday, includ- ing one person who saw a green van. However, they believe others may have vital information, or descrip- tions of the three men.
Inspector Tom Kennedy is appeal- ing for anyone who may have seen
a green van in the area on Saturday morning to come forward.
“We are appealing for anyone who may have seen a green Citroen or Peugeot van at The Square, Sixmi- lebridge at around 10.30am to come forward. We believe it was parked outside The Old House pub and was driven across the road when this girl emerged,” he said.
“The van left in the direction of Kil- kishen, but could have turned right for Broadford or Tulla,” he said.
Gardai are also appealing for a woman, who comforted the victim at the time of her ordeal, to come for- ward.