Delta police have issued a warning after receiving a report of a man allegedly touching himself in North Delta Community Park.
Police say a woman was walking in the park at around 7:15 a.m. on Thursday, March 11 when she saw a man in a wooded area near the parking lot allegedly “touching himself inappropriately.”
The suspect is described as a tall South Asian male, 20-30 years old, with a slim build, dark hair and facial hair. The man was wearing a blue hoodie underneath a jean jacket vest at the time of the incident.
Police have stepped up patrols in the area and continue to investigate, however because the incident wasn’t reported until the following day, have not yet found anyone matching the suspect’s description.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Delta Police at 604-946-4411 and quote file #21-5477.
“One of the things we really want to emphasize is the importance of calling 911 immediately should something like this occur — that is, calling after [you have] left the immediate area and [are] in a safer place, or perhaps moved closer to larger groups of people for safety,” said Cris Leykauf, public affairs manager for the Delta Police Department.
“Sometimes police receive feedback from the public that they don’t feel a situation may warrant calling 911. But if someone believes a crime is in progress, or they are witness or being subjected to behaviour that makes them feel unsafe, we urge them to call 911.
“By calling 911, this gives police the chance to identify possible suspects and witnesses, preserve evidence, etc.”
The incident is reminiscent of a four others that occurred in and near the park last year.
On Oct. 21, 2020, a woman contacted police about a man she witnessed masturbating on the trail between the George Massey Library and North Delta Community Park at around 5:15 p.m. The man was described as South Asian and wearing all black clothing.
That same day, a second woman contacted police shortly after 10 p.m. to report a man possibly masturbating in the park, close to the trees. She indicated the man was South Asian, approximately 5′ 7″ tall, around 25 years old, and wearing a dark hoodie and jeans.
In both instances police conducted patrols in the area but were not able to find any suspects.
READ MORE: Police investigating indecent acts in North Delta park (Oct. 22, 2020)
In January of 2020, police received two similar reports of a man inappropriately touching himself in the park.
On the afternoon of Jan. 23, a teenage girl came across a man allegedly touching himself in the same stretch of woods between the library and the park. The man was described as South Asian, about six feet tall, with a slim build and short brown hair, and wearing a green jacket.
Eight days later, in the evening of Jan. 31, a woman was sitting with her young daughter watching another child’s soccer practice when a man allegedly approached her and, from the other side of a chain link fence, began to masturbate. The woman yelled out to alert people nearby, and the man ran off.
The man in that incident was described as South Asian, approximately 30 years old, with a slim build, black hair and wearing a red hoodie.
Police say they are aware of the similarities between the incidents, but cannot say whether they are related.
RELATED: Police release sketch of suspect in North Delta indecent act (March 11, 2020)
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