British Columbia

Police seek tips after girl, 6, lured from playground and sexually assaulted

Police say the suspect took the girl to a nearby location, sexually assaulted her and then walked her back to school. Detectives are seeking tips from the public.

Detectives seeking tips from public after stranger coaxed girl away from Sexsmith Elementary in Vancouver

Vancouver police say a six-year-old girl was lured from a school playground, like this one, before being sexually assaulted on Dec. 5. Investigators are appealing to the public for tips. (Shutterstock)

Police are looking for tips after a six-year-old girl was allegedly lured from her school and sexually assaulted in South Vancouver last week.  

Investigators said a stranger coaxed the girl away from the playground at Sexsmith Elementary School on Columbia Street and West 59 Avenue on Dec. 5. 

A statement said he took the girl to a nearby location, sexually assaulted her and then walked her back to school.

Sexsmith Elementary School is a public school in South Vancouver with students from kindergarten to Grade 7. (Jon Hernandez/CBC)

The suspect is described as being around 30 years old with "darker" skin and brown or grey hair. Police said he was wearing grey pants.

Detectives from the police department's sex crimes unit are looking for dashcam footage from anyone who may have been in the area between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. PT on Dec. 5.

Specifically, investigators are looking for footage from people driving in area bordered by West 58th Avenue, West 60th Avenue, Ontario Street and Cambie Street, just south of Langara Golf Course.

Vancouver police are looking for dashcam footage from anyone who was driving in this area around Sexsmith Elementary School on Dec. 5. (Vancouver Police Department)

The elementary school is within blocks of the golf course and Winona Park, with Langara College's main campus a few more blocks to the north.

Anyone who was in the area last Wednesday afternoon and saw anything suspicious is asked to call detectives in VPD's Sex Crimes Unit at 604-717-0603 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.