Sunshine Coast RCMP were contacted last week by the parent of a young girl after she and her friends had been followed by a suspicious vehicle in Halfmoon Bay.
Around 1 p.m. on Aug. 3, a group of girls ranging between four and 12 years old were walking on Eureka Place, when a minivan stopped nearby for no apparent reason. The van departed, then reportedly turned around and drove back towards the girls, leading the girls to believe it was following them, at which point they went to a neighbour’s house for help. The driver did not get out of the van or make contact with the girls.
The van is described as a grey or champagne-coloured minivan, with a flag – possibly of a hockey stick or a Canadian flag – on the rear driver’s side exterior. The driver was a white male, between 40 and 60 years old, with brown-grey hair and partially balding, a handlebar-type moustache, and possibly a tattoo on his left arm.
“These girls did the right thing by going to a neighbour’s house for help, and were able to provide a good description of the van to police,” said Const. Harrison Mohr with Sunshine Coast RCMP. “Obviously anytime we get a report of this nature, it is alarming for police and the community, and we are treating this incident very seriously; however, at this time there is nothing to suggest that the male had any criminal intent.
“We’re asking the driver of the van to contact Sunshine Coast RCMP to discuss the situation and to help put the community’s mind at rest. In the meantime, residents of the Halfmoon Bay area should be aware of their surroundings, and report any suspicious people or vehicles to police.”
Anyone with additional information should contact Sunshine Coast RCMP at 604-885-2266, and reference file 15-5328.
– Sunshine Coast RCMP
