Girl, 14, among victims of unprovoked attacks in north London as police hunt suspect

Officers from the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command issued images of a man they want to trace
Metropolitan Police
April Roach @aprilroach288 February 2021
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Police have released CCTV images of a suspect they urgently want to trace after a man assaulted three people, including a 14-year-old girl in north London.

The young girl was assaulted while travelling on a route 83 bus to school through Edgware at around 8.40am on November 11.

A man sitting behind the 14-year-old started to strike her on the back of her head for no apparent reason, said the Metropolitan Police.

The man then shouted abuse at her as he left the bus. The Met said the girl was not seriously injured but was left shocked and distressed following the incident.

A second assault took place that same day around 12.30pm outside a supermarket in Coppetts Centre, Barnet.

The suspect was believed to be attempting to shoplift in the store and was escorted from the premises by staff.

Outside the store and without warning, he struck a member of staff, a woman in her early 50s, on the back of her head. She was not seriously injured.

The suspect has been described as about 5ft 10ins, aged 30 to 35
Metropolitan Police

The third assault happened the next day at around 7.50pm when a 48-year-old off-duty bus driver was on a 221 bus in Edgware.

The driver was finishing his tour, wearing his bus driver uniform and was sitting in a passenger seat when for no apparent reason, he was punched, grabbed by the throat and kicked.

The assailant then made off leaving the victim bruised and shaken.

Following the Met’s enquiries, the same suspect has been linked to all three incidents and officers from the force’s Roads and Transport Policing Command urgently want to trace the man.

The suspect was wearing a green camouflage baseball jacket
Metropolitan Police

The suspect has been described as about 5ft 10ins, aged 30 to 35 and of medium build. He was wearing a green camouflage baseball jacket with letters on the back in capitals ‘DFYNT’ and the numbers 00 below.

PC Paul Harris, who is leading the investigation, said: “We have linked all these incident and the unprovoked nature of the assaults gives us cause for concern.

“This man’s clothing is very distinctive and I am sure someone will recognise him. We urgently want to trace this man and I would ask anyone who can identify him, not to approach him, but call police immediately.”

Any witnesses or anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101 or contact via Twitter @MetCC. Please quote CAD 7212/12NOV.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

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