Surrey RCMP has released sketches of a suspect in sex assault investigation after a woman was allegedly grabbed from behind and groped in Newton.
It happened around 9:30 p.m. on March 13, near 124th Street and 72nd Avenue.
According to police, the woman got away but the suspect allegedly followed her to her front door and attempted to assault her again.
“The female managed to get inside her residence without him doing so,” Surrey RCMP state in a release. “The man was last seen heading southbound on 124th Street.”
The suspect is described as a 5’10” tall man, with a skinny build and a short black beard.
“His ethnicity is unknown,” according to an RCMP release. “He was wearing a black baseball hat and a long black jacket with a creamed coloured shirt underneath. The public is requested to look at the composite sketches and call police if they can help to identify this person.”
The Surrey RCMP Special Victims Unit has taken conduct of this investigation and investigators are making an appeal for any witnesses to come forward with information. They are also requesting anyone who may have been driving in the area, or who may have dash cam video from the area at the time of the offence, to come forward.
“Incidents like this are not only upsetting for the victim, but also for the community,” says Corporal Elenore Sturko. “We are encouraging anyone with information that can help us in this investigation to come forward.”
There have been several “stranger assault” incidents in Surrey so far this year.
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SEE ALSO: Surrey RCMP investigate alleged ‘stranger assault’ in Newton, Jan. 4, 2019
Sturko said “whenever we have sexual assaults and stranger assaults we do look to see whether or not there may be connections to other incidents and it forms part of our investigating.”
She added: “At this point I don’t have any information to suggest it is connected, but it is being investigated.”
Surrey RCMP provides these safety tips:
· Don’t take short cuts. Use main routes, avoid lanes, forested or secluded areas.
· Walk with friends.
· Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
· Phone home when leaving a friend’s house and say when you will be home.
· Don’t assist strangers.
· Trust your instincts and your feelings.
· Phone if you are going to be delayed, or if your plans change.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or contact Crime Stoppers if you wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-8477 or solvecrime.ca.