For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Townsend Police Investigating Suspicious Man Who Allegedly Attempted to Abduct Teens

No Threat to Public Safety

TOWNSEND — Chief Robert M. Eaton Jr. reports that Townsend Police Department is investigating a report of a suspicious man who allegedly attempted to abduct three teenagers this afternoon.

At approximately 3:10 p.m., three teenage boys reported to Townsend Police that an older man allegedly jumped out from behind a large rock formation near the police station and startled them. The man then allegedly attempted to grab one of the teens and then allegedly struck another on the back of his neck. The suspect is described as an older man with a long gray beard who was wearing a red t-shirt, khaki shorts and a Boston Red Sox or possibly a Boston Bruins hat.

The teens reported that the man then ran off into the wooded area near the outside perimeter parking lot of the Townsend Senior Center and Library. Several officers from the Townsend Police Department and the Lunenburg Police Department’s K-9 unit immediately arrived on scene, but could not locate the subject after an hour-long search.

Video surveillance from the Senior Center and Library did not yield any information related to the identity of the suspect.

“We continue to investigate this incident and follow up on any leads,” Chief Eaton said. “We want to stress that after reviewing video surveillance of the area and speaking with the reporting parties, we do not believe that the public is in any danger. We want to thank the community for their patience and understanding during our investigation.”

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to please contact the police department at 978-597-6214.

###