Vancouver Police are investigating a child-luring incident after a stranger “tried to lure an 11-year-old girl” in East Vancouver over the weekend.
Police say the girl was walking home from Grays Park, near East 33rd Avenue and St. Catherines Stree when a man on a bike “called out from across the street” and asked her to come with him.
The incident happened around 6:40pm and when the girl walked away, the man continued to follow her. She was able to stop a motorist who then took her home. The girl reported the incident to police.
“This child did everything right,” says. Sergeant Addison. “She sensed she was in danger, she quickly sought help, and she got to a place of safety. By calling police right away, our officers were able to begin collecting important evidence, which we hope will help us identify the suspect.
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The suspect is described as a tall Caucasian man in his 30s with bushy eyebrows, a deep voice, and pronounced facial features – high cheekbones, a wide jaw, a big nose and ears, and dark circles under his eyes.
Police say he was wearing a dark-coloured hoodie underneath a long sleeved, plaid flannel shirt, dark jeans, and black Doc Marten-style shoes. The suspect had a dark backpack on and was riding a blue Trek mountain bike.
“Although we’re still very early in this investigation, we are releasing this information now to inform the community that this troubling incident took place,” adds Sergeant Steve Addison. “We’ve obtained images of the suspect and are asking anyone who recognizes him to call our investigators immediately.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the VPD Special Investigation Section at 604-717-0604.