VICTORIA -- Police are warning the public about two disturbing incidents that took place in downtown Victoria on Sunday.
Victoria police are searching for a man they believe is connected to an attempted armed kidnapping and an attempted robbery that took place eight hours apart.
A woman was approached from behind and grabbed while she was near the intersection of Blanshard and Johnson streets just before 3 a.m. on Sunday.
The suspect grabbed her and attempted to “get her to go with him,” according to police.
“The woman in this incident was able to get away without physical injury,” said a police spokesperson, noting that this incident is being investigated as an attempted robbery.
Police were then called to Bastion Square at 11 a.m. Sunday for a report of an attempted armed kidnapping.
A woman was returning to her vehicle in the area when an unknown man approached her from behind, grabbed her, brandished a knife and told her she needed to go with him.
“The woman was able to break free of the man and fled,” said a police spokesperson. “Officers responded to the area but did not locate the suspect.”
She was also not injured from the incident.
Police believe the suspect in both incidents is the same man. They describe him as a Caucasian man who is about 45 years old. He was wearing a long black trench coat, dark sunglasses, and a black toque.
The suspect has long hair, which was in a ponytail, walks with a slight limp and spoke with a French Canadian accent.
Patrol officers are searching for the suspect and are asking anyone with information to call police immediately at 250-995-7654.
