A 15-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with abduction after a 17-year-old girl was allegedly forced into a vehicle outside her school in south-east Melbourne. The incident occurred at approximately 8:30am on Friday at the Banksia campus of Keysborough Secondary College in Springvale South.
According to a Victoria Police statement, the male allegedly forced the girl into a vehicle which then fled the scene. Officers swiftly attended the location, and the suspect was apprehended around midday on Jezebel Way in Tarneit, about an hour's drive from the school. The 15-year-old boy, from Wyndham, has since been charged with abduction and was due to appear before court on Saturday.
Victim in Stable Condition
The 17-year-old girl was transported to hospital in a stable condition. Police believe the pair were previously acquainted, though the motive behind the alleged abduction remains unknown. A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed that detectives from the Armed Crime Squad are investigating the incident.
“Investigators allege a 17-year-old girl was entering a secondary college on Janine Road when she was approached by a male about 8.30am. The male allegedly forced the girl into a vehicle which fled the scene. Officers from the Special Operations Group later arrested the 15-year-old boy from the Wyndham area on Jezebel Way in Tarneit about 12pm. The girl was transported to hospital. The boy has since been charged with abduction and will appear before court later today. It is believed the parties were known to one another,” the spokesperson said.
Community Concern
The abduction has raised concerns among parents and local residents about safety near schools. Authorities have not released further details about the relationship between the suspect and the victim, nor the circumstances leading up to the incident. The investigation is ongoing.
