Police hunt a rapist who struck in a shop's car park

Police are hunting a rapist who attacked a woman in broad daylight in the grounds of a department store in Greater Manchester.

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'Witness' could hold vital clues to rape in store car park

CCTV of possible witness Credit: Greater Manchester Police

Police investigating the rape of a woman in a car park in Cheadle have issued a CCTV image of a possible witness.

The attack happened on Friday August 28 at around 7pm, when a woman in her late 20s was parked in a car at the far end of the John Lewis car park in Cheadle.

A man opened the car door, pulled the woman away from her car into some nearby bushes and raped her.

Her attacker then ran off into the undergrowth in the general direction towards Wilmslow Road.

The CCTV image released by police shows a person walking across the John Lewis overflow car park at approximately the same time the offence took place.

"The individual, possibly a woman, is wearing a light coloured top and dark trousers and carrying what appears to be a handbag.

“I would like to reassure this individual in the CCTV image that you are not in any kind of trouble, but we are eager to speak with you as you may have vital information that could assist our investigation."

– Detective Inspector Roger Edwards

Police hunting John Lewis rapist issue image of suspect

Police investigating a rape in the car park of the John Lewis store in Cheadle have released this image of the suspect.

The victim was dragged out of her car and raped in bushes near its flagship outlet.

The horrific attack, which happened at 7pm on Friday an hour before the store closed, has left staff and customers in shock.

The efit was released as bosses at the store announced they would be stepping up security.

The attack happened when the woman, in her late 20s, was parked up in a car at the far end of the John Lewis car park.

The offender is described as an Asian man, aged about 40 Credit: Greater Manchester Police
The John Lewis store in Cheadle Credit: Manchester Evening News Syndication

A man opened the car door, pulled the woman away from her car into some nearby bushes and raped her, say police.

He ran off into the undergrowth towards Wilmslow Road.

The victim visited St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre following the attack, and reported the incident to police on Sunday.

The offender is described as an Asian man, aged about 40 and with a medium build and black hair.

He has heavily pock-marked and open-pored skin on his face, with a thick black ‘mono-brow’. He was wearing black jogging bottoms.

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Woman dragged from car and raped outside John Lewis

The woman was dragged from her car outside John Lewis. Credit: ITV News.

A woman in her 20s was dragged from her parked car outside John Lewis and raped, police say.

The woman was in a car park at the far end of John Lewis car park in Cheadle on Friday evening when a man opened the door and dragged her into some nearby bushes and raped her.

The attacker, described as Asian and approximately 40 years old, then ran off into undergrowth near Wilmslow Road.

The attack happened around 7pm on Friday but reported to police on Sunday.

Detectives say, the offender was of medium build, with black hair and had a heavily pock-marked and open-pored skin on his face, with a thick black mono-brow, wearing black jogging bottoms.

This young lady has suffered a deeply traumatic ordeal and we have a team of detectives who are working on this case to try and identify the man that did this to her.

We believe that the area close to where the victim was parked in her car is used as a cut-through between Wilmslow-Handforth by-pass and the junction of Wilmslow Road and Etchells Road and we are appealing for anyone that may have seen a man fitting this description hanging around this area, to please get in touch.

The description of this attacker is very distinctive, with deep pock-type scars on his face and I am hoping that this may jog someone’s memory to call us, so we can find the person responsible and take him off our streets.”

– Detective Inspector Richard Ennis, Greater Manchester Police
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