Police are warning the parents and members of the public about an attempted child luring incident that took place in the Cordova Bay area earlier this week.
At around 3:30 p.m. on Monday (Nov. 15), a 10-year-old child was near Claremont Secondary School when they were approached by a man in a vehicle, according to the Saanich Police Department.
Saanich PD says the man attempted to convince the child to come into the vehicle with him but was unsuccessful as the child refused.
Fortunately, the child was able to make it home safely, where they told their parents of the incident.
“This very brave child did the right thing by refusing to approach the car, sought refuge in a safe place and immediately notified a person they trusted,” Const. Markus Anastasiades, media spokesperson with the Saanich Police Department, said in a press release.
The suspect is described as a tanned skin medium-built male between 50 to 60 years of age with dark-grey short, messy hair. Police say he was wearing glasses and a red sweater with a white collared shirt underneath at the time of the alleged incident.
Few details were provided about the vehicle, however, Saanich PD say it is an older, faded silver sedan.
ALSO READ: VicPD warning parents after attempted child-luring report
The attempted luring comes only after a similar incident allegedly occurred in Victoria on Friday.
In that incident, the Victoria Police Department says an 11-year-old child was playing on the Finlayson turf of Topaz Park at around 2 p.m. when they were approached by a woman, in her 60s or 70s, who then offered the child money and a Bible and to get into her car. Fortunately, the child refused and was unharmed.
Asked whether the two incidents are related, Anastasiades told CHEK News that at this point, it is possible.
“We can’t say for certain because we have not identified this person, however, it is certainly possible, as the description of both the suspect and the vehicle in question closely match,” he said in an e-mail.
Saanich PD has notified their VicPD counterparts, according to Anastasiades, who said any connection to “other similar files” will be closely examined.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Saanich Police Department at 250-475-4321 or anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers).
Nicholas Pescod
