The Vancouver police believe a sexual predator linked to three violent sex assaults against young children in Metro Vancouver may be responsible for an additional five cases dating back to the 1980s.
The Vancouver Police Department issued a public warning about the “serial predator” on its website in hopes of generating new information to catch him. They say more assaults are likely if he is not found.
“The DNA profiles in all of these cases are identical. This is a serial situation. This suspect will not stop on his own.”
In July last year, police linked the violent sexual assault of a six-year-old girl in Surrey through DNA to two other sexual assault cases involving children. Those cases involve two 14-year-old girls in Delta in 2007 and the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl in Vancouver in 1995.
In each case, the suspect had a knife or threatened to use one.
Insp. Bob Usui of the VPD Special Investigation Section says the suspect approaches children as young as six-years-old and asks for directions or assistance. Once he gets close enough, he grabs the most vulnerable in the group and walks them into a secluded area.
“He is calm as he removes their clothing and sexually assaults them. He offers reassurance, but threatens to stab them if they do not cooperate,” Usui said.
The man sometimes expresses remorse after the attack, he added. He then tells the children to count while he flees the area on foot.
Police have released three sketches of the suspect since the incidents. The man is described as being possibly Hispanic, Asian or South Asian, between 30 and 50-years-old, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, with dark eyes and short black hair.
In the attack on a Surrey girl, he wore a dark button-up shirt adorned with Chinese dragons.
Police have set up a tip line at 778-331-4100.
More information about each incident can be found by clicking here.
