A 12-year-old boy walking his bike escaped the clutches of a man who grabbed him along Ingrave Road, Brentwood.
The boy was approached between Four Oaks and Shenfield Common Junction between noon-1pm on Monday (June 20).
The man asked the victim for directions and grabbed his arm, however, the the boy thankfully freed himself and escaped on his bike uninjured.
An Essex Police spokesman said: "This incident happened on a busy road and there are likely to have been pedestrians or motorists who witnessed it."
The suspect is described as white, aged around 50-years-old with a large build and short grey hair.
He was wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt.
He may have been driving a small blue car with a dent in one of the rear doors.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Pc Peter Cooper at Brentwood Police station on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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