CCTV shows woman was not dragged into car in West Bromwich 'kidnap' claim
A probe into claims that a woman was dragged off the street and into a car in West Bromwich has been scaled down after CCTV footage showed she was not kidnapped.
Officers issued an appeal for information after reports that a woman believed to have been waiting at a bus stop was approached by a man who spoke to her before pulling her across the road and into a vehicle driven by a second man, in Hill Top, at about 9.40pm on Sunday.
West Midlands Police said it had carried out a detailed investigation and a review of all available CCTV in the area, and it was satisfied the woman was not kidnapped. The footage showed her walking to the car and getting into the front seat.
The force said it was clear from the images and witness accounts that the man and woman were known to each other, were having an argument and it was a domestic-related incident.
Detective Superintendent Annie Miller, from the force's public protection unit, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who shared our appeal and have provided information.
“The person who was concerned absolutely did the right thing by calling us and now we’ve been able to check the CCTV and see the sequence of events, it appears it wasn’t quite as it may have initially looked.
“We’re still following up inquiries to trace the woman and the car so we can make sure she’s okay.
“We understand things like this are deeply concerning for our communities - it’s frightening to think someone has potentially randomly approached a stranger and dragged them into a car. We hope this update provides some reassurance to you.”
The force added that the matter was no longer being investigated as a potential kidnap, but that inquiries relating to the car described as a grey coloured BMW X5 were ongoing. And that officers were keen to speak to the woman to ensure "she’s safe and well".
