Police investigating after two pedestrians groped in Surrey

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Surrey RCMP is investigating two separate incidents of sexual assault that occurred during the past three weeks.

On December 22, 2016, at 12:40 am, a woman was walking near 120A Street and 92A Avenue. She was wearing headphones when she was grabbed from behind and groped by a male. The male fled on foot after hearing police sirens in the distance.

The suspect is described as being in his twenties, 5’10”, with a medium build. The suspect was wearing all black clothing at the time of the incident.

Another incident occurred on January 7, 2017 at 2:20 am when another woman walking near 72nd Avenue and 196th Street was groped from behind by a male suspect who also tried to take her to ground. The victim fought the male off who eventually fled on foot.

This suspect is only described as wearing a dark blue coat and black pants.

Surrey RCMP’s Special Victims Unit (SVU) is leading these two investigations. SVU is a team of specialized officers that focus on sex related crimes.

“Thankfully neither victim was physically injured during these attacks,” Corporal Scotty Schumann said in a release.

“Investigators at this time have not found any links between the two incidents. We are reminded of the need for all pedestrians to be aware of their surroundings at all times, especially late at night when walking alone.”

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca.

Stay safe

Surrey RCMP encourages pedestrians to follow these simple steps to reduce the likelihood of being victimized:

Walk with confidence. Keep your head up and know where you are going.
Limit distractions. Store mobile phones and other valuables out of sight and remove your headphones.
Call a friend. Let someone know where you are going.
Stay visible. Stick to well-lit areas and don’t wear dark clothing at night.
Keys ready. Have your car or house keys ready before you reach the door.