POLICE patrols have been increased in Horsell after a woman was grabbed by a man as she got out of her car.
The incident happened in Horsell Park just before 8pm on Friday last week.
The victim had arrived at her home in the road after finishing work when the man got hold of her.
“Thankfully, the man was disturbed by headlights from another car and she escaped,” said a police spokesman. “She called 999 and officers immediately responded to search for him.”
The culprit was white with dark features, around 5ft 8in tall. He was dressed in black, with a black scarf around his face.
He is believed to have run off into the nearby woodlands and might have followed a footpath that leads to the WWF Living Planet Centre and the Basingstoke Canal in Brewery Road, or a track that goes to Wheatsheaf Common.
Specialist search officers joined local police units as the operation to find the man continued into the night.
“We want to speak to anyone who may have seen a man matching the description either fleeing or hiding in the woodland after 8pm, or perhaps hanging around earlier.
“It is possible the man may have approached other women this evening, and we are keen to hear from anyone who feels that they may have been followed or approached by him.
“We have yet to identify the driver of the vehicle that disturbed the man and would like to speak to them to understand if they saw anything.”
Anyone who was driving in the Horsell Park estate area and has a dashcam or helmet cam that might have recorded someone acting suspiciously is asked to contact the police.
Homeowners who have a video doorbell or CCTV are asked to check recordings from 7.30pm to 8.15pm to see if they have captured an of a lone man dressed in black.
Surrey Police are not so far linking the Horsell Park incident with several indecent exposure offences committed on the canal towpath in the Woking area in recent months. “Officers are keeping an open mind about any connection,” said the spokesman.
Anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to make a report using the Live Chat function on www.surrey.police.uk or by private message on social media, quoting reference PR/P21020213.