RCMP investigating ‘attempted abductions’ of vulnerable women in B.C. city

Mounties in Mission say they’re investigating a pair of “apparent attempted abductions” in the city this week.

The first incident occurred sometime between 11 p.m. Sunday and 1 a.m. Monday, Mission RCMP said in a news release Tuesday.

A woman was walking along Logan Avenue when a white SUV with a South Asian male driver pulled up alongside her, police said.

The driver asked her “to perform a sexual act,” which she refused to do, according to police. As she walked away, the driver got out of the vehicle and assaulted her, “trying to pull her toward his vehicle,” police said.

The woman again ran away, but the driver followed in his vehicle and “apparently bear sprayed her,” Mounties said.

The second incident happened around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, police said. They said a woman asked a bystander for help on Third Avenue between Murray and Horne streets, explaining that a South Asian man in a white SUV had asked her to perform a sexual act, then tried to drag her toward his vehicle.

“She also managed to get away without serious injury,” the RCMP release reads.

“The woman left before speaking with police, and officers have not yet been able to reach her for additional details.”

Police said both women were “from a vulnerable sector of the community,” and it’s not yet known whether they were targeted because of this.

Mission RCMP asked the public to be on the lookout for a white SUV driven by a South Asian man with short hair, a beard and tattoos on his arms. Police said he’s roughly six feet tall.

“Police note that there is no information at this time to confirm whether the suspect is from Mission, and it’s possible that he may be from another community, or have targeted someone in another community,” the release reads.

Police also asked social service providers who interact with vulnerable populations to make sure their clients are aware of these incidents and encourage them to report any similar encounters to police.

Anyone with information should call Mission RCMP at 604-826-7161 and quote file number 25-15879, police said.