Surrey RCMP are seeking help from the public to identify a suspect who sexually assaulted a woman inside her own home in an apparent random attack over the weekend.
It happened around 3:15 a.m. on Saturday in north Surrey’s Bear Creek neighbourhood.
Police said the victim awoke to a man she didn’t know groping her in her home near 91 Avenue and 141 Street.
When the woman screamed for help, the suspect ran off.
Neighbours told Global News that RCMP were tight-lipped about the investigation, as they canvassed the neighbourhood for surveillance on Saturday.
“They said something happened behind those bushes in front of that house,” said Harpreet Mann, pointing to a home across the street.
Mann and fellow resident Jigishu Basra said they were startled to learn of a stranger sexual assault in the family-friendly neighbourhood.
“It’s been very welcoming and very quiet so this is kind of surprising to me and I never thought this would happen here, but it’s very unfortunate,” said Basra.
“This is the first time this happened, this type of incident,” added Mann. “Yeah, it is pretty bad.”
It’s unclear if the victim was physically injured but RCMP said she is being supported by Victim Services.
The Lower Mainland District Integrated Police Dog Service Unit was called out to help track the suspect, who as of Saturday afternoon, remained at large.
Police are searching for a man in his early 20s, 5’7” to 5’10” tall, with an average build and a long black beard.
Anyone with information or who may have seen the suspect between the hours of 11:00 p.m. on July 19 to 3:30 a.m. on July 20, is asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.