B.C. man assaulted, robbed at motel after arranging online 'encounter': RCMP

Mounties are warning the public about the risks of arranging encounters with people online after a man was assaulted and robbed at a Kamloops, B.C., motel over the weekend.
Kamloops RCMP said officers were called to a motel room in the 500 block of Columbia Street West around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.
"A man had allegedly arranged an encounter with someone online, but instead was met by two men who assaulted him with a weapon and robbed him of his wallet and phone," Cpl. Crystal Evelyn said in a news release Wednesday.
Mounties said both the suspects are white. One is described as 5'8" tall, with a face tattoo of stars near his eyes. He was wearing a black-and-white checkered jacket and carrying a mini sledge hammer at the time.
The second man is described as 5'7" tall and skinny. Both suspects fled the scene on foot.
"The fact that this online interaction in of itself had a criminal nature, further increased the risk to the robbery victim and makes these types of offences very serious in nature," Evelyn added.
"This was a dangerous scenario that could have ended much worse, which is why we are reminding the public to be wary of what services they are purchasing online and the risks attached."
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 and reference file number 2023-3442.
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