Vancouver police are looking for a man who reportedly tried to lure a five-year-old child from an East Vancouver daycare by posing as a parent.
Police have now launched an investigation and released a composite sketch of the man along with a distinctive car that was seen in the neighbourhood around the time of the Dec. 13, 2023 incident.
Police said around 3:30 p.m. that day a man knocked on the door of an after-school home daycare near East Hastings and Skeena Street in East Vancouver and spoke to the daughter of the daycare operator.
The man said he was the father of a five-year-old girl who was attending the daycare and referred to the child by name, police said.
The child was out of the house with other daycare staff at the time, police said, so the man left and made some comment about calling the child’s nanny.
Police added that daycare staff were immediately suspicious and reported the incident to Vancouver police after contacting the child’s parents.
“This is a troubling case that we’ve been actively investigating for more than three weeks, but we still don’t know the identity of this stranger,” Sgt. Steve Addison with the Vancouver police said in a statement.
“With students heading back to school and daycares soon re-opening after the Christmas break, we’re notifying the public and taking additional steps to solve this case.”
Addison added that neither of the girl’s parents had come to pick her up already that afternoon and no one else should have been aware of the child-care arrangement.
“Who this man was is still a mystery, and the nature of the incident is a cause for concern,” he said.
The suspect is believed to be in his 30s, standing about six feet tall with a medium build. He had facial stubble and was wearing a white toque with a white hooded sweatshirt when he approached the daycare, police said. He was described as appearing clean and stylish.
Investigators would like to speak to anyone who recognizes the man as well as anyone with information about an orange Porsche Macan that was in the neighbourhood around the time of the incident.
Police said the car is not linked to the incident at this stage but they would like to speak to the driver at this time.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the VPD’s special investigation section at 604-717-0600.