VICTORIA -- Victoria police say a man with a history of sexual offences was arrested after he harassed and followed two girls in the Hillside area over the weekend.
Police say the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when the man allegedly followed the youths while riding a bicycle.
He repeatedly asked the girls to go somewhere with him, despite the youths walking away from the area and asking the man to leave, according to police.
Eventually the youths entered a convenience store in the 2600-block of Quadra Street and called police for help.
Police say an employee of the convenience store locked the door to the business before the man "aggressively attempted to open the locked door and speak with the young women."
VicPD officers arrived at the scene and spotted the man, who reportedly fled from police on his bicycle. Officers quickly caught up with the man and arrested him without further incident, according to the police department.
"The man was known to police, with a history of convictions for sexual offences such as indecent act, and breaching conditions of probation," said VicPD in a release Wednesday.
The man is now facing charges of criminal harassment, assault and obstructing a peace officer.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Victoria police at 250-995-7654 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
