The following information was released to the public on February 29, 2020:
At approximately 9:30 pm on February 27, 2020, a 17 year-old girl was approached by a man on a BC Transit bus who began engaging her in conversation. When she exited the bus, the man followed her and began to make unwanted sexual advancements towards her, including unwanted touching. The girl was not physically injured during the sexual assault and she has been offered various resources. This occurred in the area of the Royal Oak bus exchange.
The man was described as approximately 30 years old, dark complexion, 5’7”, black hair, clean-shaven, and wearing ‘skinny’ jeans. The man spoke with an accent and it is believed that English was not his first language.
**Update**
On March 4, 2020 a 25-year-old woman contacted the Saanich Police to report that a man had assaulted her near a bus stop on February 26, 2020 at 10:00 pm. The man engaged this woman in conversation, followed her off the bus and began to make unwanted sexual touching. This occurred in the Quadra Street corridor.
Investigators now believe that these two incidents are related.
We are releasing a photo of the suspect and are seeking any assistance from the public in identifying the man. Of note, is that he has a prominent balding spot on the back of his head which is not shown in the released photographs. On both occasions, he got on the bus in the area of Uptown Mall.
“As we continue to investigate this file to identify the suspect, we would like to remind the public to be alert and aware of your surroundings, walk with a partner if possible, and always carry a charged cell phone.”
If you have any information about this incident, please contact us at 250-475-4321. To report anonymously, please call the Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Cst. Markus Anastasiades
Public Information and Communications Officer
