A woman was allegedly raped outside of a shop in a UK town centre. Police have confirmed that a man, aged 27, has been arrested following the reported attack at around 5am on Saturday (January 3).
The woman was reportedly raped on Bethlehem Street in Grimsby. A picture from the scene shows a police cordon in place outside a Wilko store as officers investigated the scene. The force added that the man remains in police custody as detectives continue to appeal to the public for information.
Humberside Police officers are reviewing CCTV footage from the area around the time of the alleged rape. They are urging witnesses or anyone with relevant information on what happened to get in touch as soon as possible.
Detective Inspector Mark Hawley said: “I know this will be an extremely concerning incident for members of the community, but I would like to reassure you that we take reports of this nature extremely seriously.
“Since we received the report, my teams have been carrying out extensive lines of enquiry, including reviewing CCTV, gathering witness statements, and identifying and engaging with the victim, to understand the full circumstances around the report.
“Following these initial enquiries, we can confirm a 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape and he remains in police custody at this time.”
Officers are also continuing to appeal for information from the public. They are keen to hear from anyone with relevant CCTV or dashcam footage from the area.
The police force added: “If anyone else witnessed the incident, has any information or believes they may have CCTV or dashcam from around the time the incident occurred, please contact us on our non-emergency number 101 quoting crime reference 26*915.”
“Alternatively, if you wish to remain anonymous whilst reporting, please contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
