Vancouver police hunt sex attacker targeting elderly Asians
Serial molester has struck at least three times; his victims include women in their 80s and 90s
The Vancouver Police Department issued an alert this week for women to be on guard while walking in the neighbourhoods of South Granville, Oak and Cambie. All have high concentrations of ethnic Chinese residents.
Three assaults, all on Asian women, have been linked to the same attacker. The man approached each woman from behind as they were out walking between 7am and 8am, before attacking and sexually molesting them.
The incidents began on April 20, when a woman aged 85 was attacked. Police said that after the assault, the man walked off and the woman rushed home - but the man reappeared and molested her again before her screams drove him off.
The second attack took place on June 17, when a woman in her 90s was out walking her dog in South Granville/Shaughnessy, one of the city's wealthiest suburbs. The attacker sneaked up from behind and "struck her violently between the legs" and groped her, police said
Police believe the attacker's behaviour is escalating. The most recent and most violent attack occurred on Friday, when a 55-year-old woman was attacked on West 64th Avenue. When the attacker walked away, the woman pursued the man, who punched her in the face. "None of the three women knew their attacker and they have all suffered significant emotional distress in the attacks," said police.