Police search forest after woman assaulted in Zeist, suspect linked to earlier incident
Police are searching for a man accused of committing what they describe as "a serious sexual offense" in Zeist, after a woman was attacked in broad daylight on Prinses Mariannelaan. The suspect fled into a nearby forest following the assault, police reports.
The attack triggered a large-scale manhunt that began immediately after the report on Thursday. Police were supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, a helicopter, and multiple tracking dogs in the search, but the suspect has not yet been located.
Police said the investigation is being handled by the Team Grootschalige Opsporing, which is deployed for complex criminal cases that have major social impact.
Authorities stressed that many officers remain involved in efforts to find the man and made an urgent appeal to witnesses and residents to come forward. “We are asking anyone with information or security camera footage to contact the police,” the statement said.
The suspect’s description allegedly closely matches that of a man involved in a separate incident earlier the same day. In that case, a woman became alarmed after being approached by a man. She shouted for help several times. A man walking ahead with a dog turned around briefly but continued walking. The suspect fled when the woman kept screaming.
