Police in Florida are appealing for the public’s help after surveillance footage captured what is believed to be the abduction of a woman in broad daylight on New Year’s Eve. The incident occurred at approximately 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday outside the Lake Condominium apartment building near West 27th Avenue and 52nd Street in Hialeah.
According to police, a concerned citizen called 911 after witnessing what she thought was an abduction, and the surveillance footage later corroborated the account. The footage shows a man dressed in all black standing near a white Ford F-150, and a woman wearing a grey sweatshirt and khaki sweatpants. In one still image, the man appears to be forcing the woman into the truck, described as a modified white Platinum Edition model with distinctive black rims.
Investigators believe the incident was not random and that the man and woman are known to each other. The man is described as white and approximately five feet seven inches tall. The woman is a white female with long black hair, last seen wearing a grey sweatshirt, khaki sweatpants, and black sandals. As of Thursday, no missing persons report matching her description has been filed.
A resident of the Lake Condominiums told CBS News Miami that she heard screams that morning. “I heard noises and screaming. I heard two or three screams and I didn’t go out of my house but you could hear the screams,” she said. “I heard her say ‘no.’ This place has been really quiet for years and not the sort of place where this stuff happens.”
Police described the case as a “suspicious incident” and stated that their primary concern is the woman’s safety. “Our primary concern is the immediate well-being of the female involved,” police said in a statement. “Our detectives are working diligently to locate her as quickly as possible to verify her safety.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Hialeah police at 305-687-2525 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
