RCMP appeal for information after 3 women report stranger sex assaults in North Vancouver

Mounties in North Vancouver are warning the public about three sexual assaults reported in the same area of the city last month, releasing a video and appealing to the public in an effort to advance the investigation.

All three sexual assaults were reported in the Lower Lonsdale Area and there are some "similarities" in the cases, according to the North Vancouver RCMP.

On Sept. 9, around 9 p.m., a woman was walking on East Keith Road near St. Andrews Avenue when she was "groped" by a man riding an e-bike, police said in a news release, which noted the suspect was "chased by two bystanders."

Investigators have not been able to identify or interview the Good Samaritans and are asking them to come forward.

The suspect was described as a white man, standing 5'11" tall with a muscular build. He was wearing shorts and a "peach-coloured tank top," according to authorities.

The next reported assault was on Sept. 19, around 2 p.m. In that incident, a woman was walking on the Spirit Trail when she told police a man an e-bike " groped her from behind."

The North Vancouver RCMP did not provide a description of this suspect but did share a CCTV video they believe shows the man responsible.

Four days later, a third woman reported being "groped from behind" while she was running, on the west side of the 700 block of Chesterfield Avenue around 8:45 p.m., the RCMP said.

The suspect in this assault was described as a South Asian man in his 30s, who was tall and had an athletic build.

"Investigators are not ruling out that there might be three different suspects. Over the last month, extensive efforts have been made by serious crime investigators to identify any suspects. We are now at the point where we’re seeking public assistance to help further these investigations," North Vancouver RCMP spokesperson Const. Mansoor Sahak said.

Anyone with information is urged to call 604-985-1311 and refer to file number 2024-19636.