RCMP are on the lookout for a couple believed to be travelling in a brown, older model, Ford truck after the occupants allegedly approached two children on the weekend.
Sgt. Rick Dellebuur said just after noon on Sunday two 10-year-old boys tobogganing at Columbia Park Elementary School off of Hatfield Avenue were approached by a man and told to “get in the car.”
“An older model brown Ford pickup circled around the area, and kids said they came up from the slope and watched the truck stop and a white male got out of the truck and approached them telling them to get in the car. The kids ran home and looked back to see the man get back into the vehicle,” said Dellebuur.
RCMP made patrols of the area but couldn’t find any vehicle fitting the description and informed the school district of the incident on Monday morning.
Dellebuur said police received a complaint of a similar incident on Dec. 20. In that situation, a 13-year-old girl was walking on Jermyn Avenue when she was asked if she wanted a ride to school from a couple in a grey coloured truck. The girl declined and the pair drove off. The girl then informed the principal at KVR Middle School who then phoned the police.
“There wasn’t a really good description other than a couple, believed to be in their 20s, driving a grey pickup truck. Basically the message to convey to kids is don’t accept rides from strangers. There has been no enticements, or kids being chased down. It does appear the people have asked the kids to get in the vehicle,” said Dellebuur.
The man driving the truck in Sunday’s incident is described as younger, possibly in his 20s, around five-foot-eight to six feet tall, with brown spiky hair with gel in it, wearing a black jacket and jeans. His female passenger is described as older with black shoulder-length hair.
Dellebuur said since they issued the report of suspicious persons they have received a number of calls that they are following up on. Anyone with information relating to these incidents is asked to call RCMP at 250-492-4300 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
