SURREY — Police in Surrey say they are investigating after a group called Surrey Creep Catcher claims it videotaped a Mountie trying to meet a girl he thought was 14.
Creep Catcher allege the man in the video, streamed live on Facebook Wednesday night, was an RCMP officer. The video has been viewed more than 32,000 times.
The man in the video can be heard swearing before pulling up his hood and running away after Creep Catcher confronted him with cameras outside a restaurant at Central City Shopping Centre in Surrey.
SURREY’S CREEP CATCHER: Ryan LaForge aims to weed out ‘potential predators’ and ‘blast’ them on social media
On Twitter, Surrey RCMP said investigators are “gathering all available evidence” before determining the next steps.
“We have an active investigation and are aware of the allegations that the matter involves a police officer,” another Surrey RCMP tweet read.
No one is in custody and no charges have been laid, according to RCMP.
Creep Catcher is a national group that aims to weed out “potential predators” and “blast” them in social media. Thousands of people have seen Surrey Creep Catchers footage online, through YouTube and Facebook.
While police have consistently warned of the dangers of what they call a “vigilante phenomenon,” Surrey’s Creep Catcher Ryan LaForge told the Now in a recent exclusive interview that he wishes police would work with him.
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“The police, I want them to step their mandate up and have a change so they’re allowed to contact us and say, ‘Hey, we want your evidence.’ Not just because someone’s complaining,” said LaForge (pictured), who claims police don’t contact him until one of the targets contacts them claiming harassment. “What kind of crazy world do we live in?
“As far as the courts go, I want them to stop looking at it like it’s just like a job. I want them to see that it’s life. We’re talking about children. I don’t know if it’s the justice system, I mean it all boils down to our government, what’s wrong with our government? What’s wrong with our government that they can see this is happening, that the justice system is releasing these guys?”
More to come.
beau.simpson@thenownewspaper.com
