Below is a shortened version of a local NBC news story from this week.  It is a text book example of both the “assistance lure” as the man/attacker offered the jogger his help, and the “authority lure” as he pretended via signage on his truck to be a city employee.  Unfortunately it is that simple sometimes to gain people’s trust.  But of particular note is the woman’s mention of “Something wasn’t right” which facilitated her escape.  Read on…

Police said a man attacked a woman during her afternoon jog Tuesday.

It happened at about 1:30 p.m. along Roselawn Drive.

“We don’t know if he was trying to sexually assault her or kidnap her,” Officer Ryan Grelle said. “We don’t know what his intentions were.”

Police said the man pulled up next to the woman when she stopped to catch her breath and asked if she was OK (Assistance Lure). Investigators said the woman felt like something wasn’t right (Great work on tapping into her instinct) and started to jog off.

“He grabbed her by the head - she had a headband on - and he pulled the headband off,” Grelle said.

Police said the woman had to punch the man in the face in order to get away.

Denton police said they are hoping someone can lead them to the white truck the man was driving.  According to the victim and several witnesses, the truck had the words “Denton Services” in stick-on letters on the door (Authority Lure).

“We don’t think it was a real city truck,” Grelle said.  “We don’t know of any Denton Services around here.”

 

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