Police hope a Good Samaritan who may have information about an attempted abduction of an 11-year-old girl last week comes forward.
The incident happened last Tuesday around 3:30 p.m. in the 200 block of Third Avenue.
A young girl was walking down the street, when a man in a van pulled up alongside her and asked her to get in. The girl refused and fled when the driver opened the driver-side door of the van, according to a press release from police.
The girl is in Grade 6, but police wouldn’t say what school she attends.
Investigators believe there was someone driving in the area of Third Avenue who saw the man in the van and may have warned the girl before he approached her.
“Our major crime unit is pouring an extensive amount of effort into this case,” said acting Sgt. Jeff Scott, spokesperson for the New Westminster police, in a statement. “We are taking this very seriously and need to speak with the person who may have warned the girl just prior to the van approaching her. It is possible that person does not even know that they are instrumental in this case, and our detectives need to speak with him or her.”
Investigators have also released a sketch of the suspect. He is described as a Caucasian man in his 50s or 60s with grey hair and a grey beard and moustache. He was driving a red, older model panel van and wearing a straw cowboy hat at the time of the incident.
“We are continuing to investigate this as a priority and are asking for the public’s assistance to identify the man seen in the sketch,” Scott said.
The police department is asking residents to report any suspicious activity.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Andrew Wickham at 604-525-5411.
