RCMP are investigating a case of a potential child abduction after a 9 year-old boy reported that an unknown man tried to grab him on his way to school in Courtenay on Tuesday.
The boy told police that he was walking on the sidewalk between between 17th and 20th Street on Willemar Avenue at around 8:15 a.m. when an unknown man grabbed his backpack.
The boy then pulled loose and made his way to his school, where he told his principal what happened. The principal then alerted police.
Officers went to the area immediately but could not locate anyone matching the description of the suspect.
The suspect is described as a middle-aged Caucasian man with short grey/dark brown hair and was not clean shaven. He was wearing a black toque, an old dark green puffy coat, and spoke with a garbled, deep voice.
Witnesses “very likely”
Comox Valley RCMP say that their Major Crime Unit is continuing with the investigation, and that they are looking for witnesses.
“This area of Courtenay has quite a bit of traffic in the morning when it’s time to get our children to school,” said Cst. Monika Terragni of the Comox Valley RCMP.
“It is very likely that someone in the area saw the suspect, or even what happened.”
“We are asking anyone who may be a witness to give us a call, and for caregivers to talk to the children in their care about situations they may encounter when they’re out on their own.”
Comox Valley RCMP is asking students and parents to report any suspicious activity to them immediately.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Comox Valley RCMP at 250-338-1321 and refer to file 2019-357. You can also report information anonymously through Comox Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
