Abduction creates fear November 19, 2014 | Filed under: Front Page News | Posted by: By JEN WATLAND Special to the Spirit Dougherty: ‘Know who is near you’ CHARLES TOWN – After a teenager escaped from an abductor at Walmart here on Saturday, Jefferson County’s sheriff is urging residents to stay aware of their surroundings – and not to hesitate to make a scene if a stranger triggers fear. “Know who is near you,” Sheriff Pete Dougherty said. “Is it someone you don’t know? If they are walking toward you, yell and run and do something in advance. Being aware of your surroundings is first and foremost of what you can do.” Saturday’s incident began on Cattail Run Road just before 9 p.m. as the teen headed out to walk her dog. She later told officers she noticed a red, older model work van parked near her driveway. The driver – who appeared to be between 50 and 60 years old – then came up behind her, put his hand over her mouth, pulled her into the van and drove off, according to the report from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Her family called police after the dog returned moments later. Authorities haven’t located the man or the van, which has rear double doors, only a driver’s seat up front, one seat in the back and no windows. Dougherty praised the teenager for seizing a chance to flee from her abductor. “She did the smart thing,” he said. “She saw the opportunity to get out of the vehicle. That was when it was a good time to get away. No one wants to chase you in a parking lot and draw a lot of attention to themselves.” Officers searched Walmart and the surrounding area after locating the girl but found no sign of the abductor, Dougherty said. For parents and young people left rattled by the incident, Dougherty said staying alert is key. What’s happening around you is more important than anything on your smart phone, he said. “In this case there wasn’t a whole lot to be done” to prevent the abduction, he said. “When you are in your own neighborhood, it seems pretty reasonable to me, you know the neighborhood and area, and you should be able to be relatively comfortable. Be aware of your surroundings, not just your street – the people around you,” he said. “I see people all the time, they are looking at their cell phone and texting, and they are not aware.” It’s better to raise a ruckus and be wrong than to stay quiet and end up a victim, the sheriff advises. “People for a lot of reasons don’t necessarily call out,” he said. “If someone comes toward you, you should ask who they are and – if it’s someone you don’t know, tell them to stay out of your space. “No one in an abduction wants noise, panic, yelling and screaming. If you are in a more secluded area, carry a whistle to make noise.” In searching for the teen and then for her abductor, the Sheriff’s Office had help from the West Virginia State Police and the Charles Town and Ranson police departments. When asked what the public can do to help in such cases, Dougherty said, “My favorite expression is: if you see something, do something. “In this case, ‘do something’ is – call. If you see it happening or hear someone yelling, call us. We are way better off being called to sit where it turns out to be no significant issue than waiting to get a call and [the perpetrator] could be 40 miles away.” Dougherty said Tuesday that the victim’s name hasn’t been released to the media both “to protect the identity of the abductee from unwanted, unneeded attention” from the public and to ensure that if the abduction was random, her identity remains a secret from the perpetrator. If the man is identified, the teen could be called to testify as a witness, Dougherty said. He said the investigation is continuing.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 00:15:00 +0000
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