Appeal for information following attempted robbery in East Kilbride

Detectives in East Kilbride are appealing for information after a man tried to steal a dog from a woman before assaulting her.

The 66-year-old woman was walking in a wooded area near to Benbecula Park, Calderglen Road, between 10.30am and 11am on Friday, 1 December, when she was approached by a man who tried to take her dog then assaulted her.

She did not require medical treatment and managed to hold onto her dog but was shaken and alarmed by the incident.

Officers are keen to trace a man described as 5’ 8”, 30s, with a long brown beard, wearing a navy-blue bandana and black clothing. He had a small white and tan coloured dog with him.

After the incident, he got into a black coloured Ford Transit van parked on Benbecula, which drove towards Calderwood Road.

Detective Constable Sarah McNeil of Lanarkshire CID said: “This appears to be an attempt to rob the woman of her dog, and it is vital that we establish the full circumstances of what happened and trace the man responsible.

“I would like to speak to anyone who was in the area around 10.30am to 11am on Friday who saw or heard anything suspicious. Similarly, anyone with private CCTV, doorbell footage or dashcam of the area is urged to review the footage and bring anything significant to our attention.”