Police arrest driver who pulled up next to tween

Police have detained a male suspect in connection with an investigating into a kidnapping attempt, after a young girl said a car pulled up next to her a bus stop in Famagusta.

Local media said a male suspect described as a Greek Cypriot male was arrested on Wednesday, following a complaint from a 12-year-old girl who said an unknown person pulled his car next to her while she was waiting for the bus after school.

The incident took place in Dherynia, Famagusta district, when a car pulled up next to the girl at the bus stop on Tuesday early morning, with the male driver asking her to get in the vehicle.

Passersby who saw the incident unfold reportedly stepped in, prompting the driver to speed away to the west towards nearby Frenaros.

Police did not provide details about the arrest but sources told Knews the suspect was thought to be unrelated to the young girl, whose nationality was not immediately made known.

The suspect reportedly admitted he was the one who approached the girl but it was not clear what he had told investigators.

Additional reports said an English Cypriot woman had written on social media about the incident, saying her daughter had been approached by the unknown man who made a dangerous U-turn to pull up next to her 12-year-old child.

The mother purportedly described the man as “colored” who spoke good English.

“I loved Cyprus for its safety, but I was saddened to see the net crumbling all around us even on this spiritually blessed island!” she wrote.