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South Surrey student reports 'persistent' stranger

Police asking for public help to identify driver in possible child-luring incident.
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Police are asking the public for help to identify and locate a suspect in a possible child-luring incident that occurred Friday in South Surrey.

Parents at Elgin Park Secondary were notified Friday afternoon following a report that a stranger made “persistent” efforts to convince a student to get into his vehicle.

In an email to school families, principal Bruce Filsinger said the incident was reported by a senior student, after a man “pulled up beside her in his vehicle and was persistent in wanting to drive her to school.”

The incident occurred around 9:40 a.m. June 5, in the 12900-block of 22B Avenue, when a man in a black SUV pulled up beside a 17-year-old student.

According to police, the driver left after the teen “repeatedly declined his offers” of a ride.

In addition to identifying the man involved – he’s described as Asian, 40-50 years old, with no facial hair, a roundish face and short hair – police want to know if other students have had similar encounters. None have been reported, Cpl. Scotty Schumann noted.

“We’re going to check with the students anyways, just to see if anybody else has had a similar experience,” Schumann told Peace Arch News. “Who knows – maybe it’s happened before.”

Schumann said in a news release that while the man’s motive is unclear, “it’s safe to say it’s not normal, or acceptable, for adult strangers to be offering rides to teens.”

Police want to speak to the driver “to determine his true intentions,” and investigators are canvassing the neighbourhood in an effort to locate witnesses and evidence.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.ca (quote file #2015-78152).

 



Tracy Holmes

About the Author: Tracy Holmes

Tracy Holmes has been a reporter with Peace Arch News since 1997.
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