Nanaimo RCMP are looking for witnesses after two women reported having their buttocks grabbed by a man just 10 minutes apart as they walked on Bowen Road.
Similarities in the descriptions given by the women led police to believe the two incidents involved the same man.
The alleged sexual assaults occurred around 11:30 a.m. on May 27.
Const. Gary O’Brien of Nanaimo RCMP said this type of unwanted sexual touching is not uncommon and many incidents of the same nature likely go unreported.
“When there’s one offence, there’s often multiple offences,” O’Brien said. “He’s acting out some kind of deviance.”
The first incident involved a 21-year-old woman who was crossing the road at Bowen Road and Dufferin Crescent. The suspect walked up to the woman, grabbed her buttocks, then ran northbound on Bowen Road.
The woman was “shocked” and yelled out, O’Brien said.
She told police there were many cars and some pedestrians in the intersection who might have witnessed the incident or seen the man running away.
The second incident occurred 10 minutes later near a gas station close to the intersection of Meredith and Bowen roads. The suspect walked up to a 32-year-old mother pushing her baby in a stroller, grabbed her buttocks and took off, again running northbound on Bowen Road.
The two women gave similar descriptions, saying the male suspect appeared to be possibly Spanish or Indigenous with short hair and was carrying a black backpack. The first woman said he was wearing brown pants and a light-coloured shirt. The second woman described his outfit as tan khaki pants and a white T-shirt.
“Hopefully by putting this out, this may assist other women, if there are other victims out there,” O’Brien said.
The RCMP ask anyone with information about either incident to call 250-754-2345.
Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at nanaimocrimestoppers.com.
- Roxanne Egan-Elliott, Times Colonist
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