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Stranger asked 13-year-old to perform sexual acts, Vancouver police say

A Vancouver Police Department patch is seen on an officer's uniform as she makes a phone call after responding to an unknown incident on Saturday, January 9, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck A Vancouver Police Department patch is seen on an officer's uniform as she makes a phone call after responding to an unknown incident on Saturday, January 9, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
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Police are investigating an alleged child-luring attempt that was reported near a SkyTrain station in East Vancouver last week.

Authorities said a stranger approached a 13-year-old boy at Duchess Street and Euclid Avenue – close to 29th Avenue Station – at around 8 p.m. Friday and asked the teenager where he lives.

"The boy walked away, but the suspect continued to follow him, this time asking the teen to perform sexual acts on him," the Vancouver Police Department said in a news release.

Const. Tania Visintin credited the teenager with doing "exactly what he was supposed to do" after the incident by telling a family member and calling police, which allowed authorities to begin investigating right away.

"This must have been a frightening and disturbing experience for the teenager, who was just walking home when he was approached by a man who made him feel unsafe,” Visintin said in a statement.

Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident – or has any information on what happened – to come forward.

Authorities described the suspect as a 5'8" tall South Asian man, 20 to 30 years old, with a skinny build, a moustache and short, dark hair.

The man spoke with an accent, and was carrying a blue umbrella at the time of the incident, police said. 

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