Abbotsford Police Release Suspect Sketch After Attempted Abduction of Two Young Girls

Olivia Singh

7/27/20262 min read

Abbotsford police have released a composite sketch of a man suspected of attempting to abduct two young girls outside an apartment complex last week.

Police said the children, both under the age of 10, were playing outside the complex at 33538 Marshall Rd. at approximately 5:30 p.m. Wednesday when they were approached by an unknown man.

According to Sgt. Paul Walker, the man entered the parking lot in a light-coloured sedan, stepped out of the vehicle and began speaking with the girls.

He then allegedly tried to lure them toward the vehicle.

Child Called Out to Nearby Parents

During the encounter, one of the girls called out to her parents, who were nearby.

The man then returned to his vehicle and left the area, police said.

Neither child was physically injured.

Investigators do not currently have enough information to determine the make or model of the sedan involved.

The suspect is described as a South Asian man in his 50s, standing between five-foot-five and five-foot-nine, with a heavy build and a noticeable belly.

Composite Sketch Released to Public

Investigators worked with a forensic sketch artist to create an image of the suspect, which was released publicly Saturday in an effort to generate new leads.

Police officers have been canvassing the neighbourhood and speaking with residents and nearby businesses to locate potential witnesses and obtain surveillance footage.

Notification door hangers are also being distributed in the immediate area to inform residents about the incident and explain how they can provide information.

Walker acknowledged that the attempted abduction could leave residents feeling uneasy.

“We know incidents like this really leave the affected neighbourhood and the community as a whole with a sense of unease, and we side with you on that,” he said.

Police Seek Dashcam and Surveillance Footage

The apartment complex is located near the busy intersection of Marshall and McCallum roads and is surrounded by several businesses.

Police are urging anyone who drove through the area at approximately 5:30 p.m. Wednesday to review their dashcam footage for anything that could assist investigators.

Authorities said attempted child abductions of this nature are exceptionally uncommon in Abbotsford.

Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity near the apartment complex or has dashcam or surveillance footage from around the time of the incident is asked to contact Abbotsford police at 604-859-5225.

News

Stay updated with the latest BC news stories, subscribe to our newsletter today.

SUBSCRIBE

LINKS

Ethics