DETECTIVES hunting a brutal rapist who kidnapped his victim from a supermarket car park say they are convinced someone knows the identity of the attacker.

DETECTIVES hunting a brutal rapist who kidnapped his victim from a supermarket car park say they are convinced someone knows the identity of the attacker.

The 21-year-old woman was in the Tesco car park in Brandon when she was called over by a man asking for help with heavy bags. The Good Samaritan helped him load a blue holdall into a 4x4 but he then pulled a knife on her, pushed her inside and ordered her to lie down.

He drove her to a remote location about 20 minutes away, where he subjected her to an “awful” rape ordeal lasting several hours before dumping her in Wimbledon Avenue, Brandon, later that afternoon.

Almost four weeks into the hunt, Det Ch Insp David Cutler, who is leading the investigation, said: “Our Major Investigation Team continues to work on a number of lines of inquiry, with the aim of identifying the man responsible for this terrible offence and where he took the victim that afternoon. We have spoken to hundreds of people and I am very grateful for all the calls and emails we have received. Each of these will be followed up.

“Officers continue to view the CCTV from the Brandon area and this will help us to try and piece together the movements of the offender.”

He praised the bravery of the victim for continuing to provide police with crucial information: “With the details she has been able to provide I am certain that someone somewhere knows or strongly suspects who he is, where the vehicle is or where she was taken to. Understandably this attack has had a traumatic effect on the young lady and I will say again how brave she has been in assisting us throughout. She continues to be supported by her family and Suffolk police.

“It is now almost one month on and I want to take this opportunity to again appeal for information about the man responsible, his vehicle and where he took the victim and subjected her to this awful ordeal.”

Det Ch Insp Cutler said a mobile police station placed in the car park for three days following last month's rape - which saw over 1,000 members of the public visit the Brandon Safer Neighbourhood Team for advice and reassurance and more than 500 personal safety alarms handed out - was returning on Saturday to provide further community support and to give people the chance to come forward with information.

He said additional patrols were continuing in Brandon and an appeal for information has also been issued through the charity Crimestoppers' Most Wanted website at www.crimestoppers-uk.org/wanted

The offender, who struck at 2.15pm on June 14, is described as white, in his late 50s or early 60s, around 5f 3in tall, of medium build with a pot belly. He had bushy white/grey sideburns, with heavy grey facial hair and a ruddy complexion. He was wearing a red woolly hat, a red fleece, black tracksuit bottoms, trainers and glasses. He was generally dirty and smoked roll ups.

The car is described as an older style dark coloured 4x4 with front seats only, a row of four blue spotlights on a bull bar at the front, and a rear door rather than a boot. It is believed the car was in Tesco's car park when the woman arrived to go shopping.

Contact police on 01473 613824 or e-mail incident.room@suffolk.pnn.police.uk