​​​​​​​A man suspected of abducting and raping two women threatened to kill a man who helped them escape.

A manhunt is under way for the attacker who police say is a danger to women. He has a distinctive tattoo of the name "Bobbie" on his stomach.

Two women, aged in their 20s, were kidnapped separately in London on Thursday.

The first woman was taken shortly after midnight from a street in Chingford, and the second was taken around 12 hours later at 12.15pm from a street in Edgware.

Image: The suspect tried to book a hotel room

The suspect drove the women to a hotel in Watford and attempted to book a room at around 1pm but left when he was unable to.


The women then managed to escape from the car on Osbourne Road, Watford, at around 2.30pm.

The attacker was seen dragging one of the victims by the hair after she jumped out of the car.

She fled the silver or grey Ford S-Max and shouted for help, with nearby builders rushing to her aid.

The boss of a construction company, named only as Alex, said the attacker threatened to kill one of his employees who came to the women's rescue.

Alex said: "He went after her, really pulling her by the hair when the girl started to scream 'help, help, help'.

"One of my workers went towards the victim and shouted 'leave it, leave it' and punched the perpetrator. He released the girl and started to get into a fighting position to fight back to the worker."

Other builders came to help their colleague, and one of the women managed to hit the suspected rapist over the head with a bottle.

Image: The car he was driving is believed to be a silver or grey Ford S-Max people carrier with false registration plates

He then fled, telling the rescuer: "My friend, you're dead."

Alex added: "He was very aggressive, they thought it was some kind of a domestic row.

"I'm very shocked how an adult can be dragged into a car like that."

Detectives have released CCTV images of the suspect, who is a white man of muscular build, in his late 20s or early 30s, with a bald head or shaved blond hair and a light-coloured short beard.

The car he was driving is believed to be a silver or grey Ford S-Max people carrier with false registration plates.

A 33-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to rape but police said the hunt for the rapist continues.

According to various media reports, one of the victims may have been pregnant.