Peel Regional Police say they have arrested a 22-year-old international student in connection with a string of sexual assaults against women in their early 20s who were waiting at bus stops and accepted a ride from someone posing as a rideshare driver.
Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich said police received three reports of violent sexual assaults, two on Nov. 8 and one on Nov. 16, originating from Brampton, Ont.
On Nov. 8, in the morning hours, a woman was waiting at a bus stop waiting to go to work near Countryside Drive and Bramalea Road in Brampton when a man in a black four-door sedan approached her. The man identified himself as a rideshare service and offered a ride.
The woman got in the vehicle and was driven to Highway 27 and Nashville Road in Vaughan, where she was sexually assaulted.
That same morning, Milinovich said another woman reported she was waiting at a bus stop to go to school near Goreridge Crescent and Via Romano Way in Brampton when she was approached by a black four-door sedan. Again, he said the driver identified themselves as a rideshare operator.
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The woman was driven to Highway 50, south of Gore Road in Brampton, where she was sexually assaulted.
A third similar report came in on Nov. 16, Milinovich said, where another young woman was waiting at a bus stop early in the morning at Airport Road and Humberwest Parkway in Brampton when she was offered a ride by someone posing as a rideshare driver in a newer model four-door sedan. She was taken to Countryside Drive just west of Airport Road where she was also sexually assaulted, he said.
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The suspect spoke Punjabi to the victims in all three incidents, police said.
“These were incredibly violent, reprehensible acts perpetrated against our community,” Milinovich said.
On Nov. 20, police said officers arrested a 22-year-old man from Brampton who is an international student from India.
Arshdeep Singh is facing multiple charges, including sexual assault, sexual assault by strangulation, sexual assault with a weapon, three counts of kidnapping, robbery and uttering threats.
“The charges, they are shocking, but they are representative of what happened,” Milinovich said.
Police also confirmed Singh was not associated with any rideshare operators and alleged he was using it as “part of his approach and how he was operating.”
“I would like to remind everyone to not accept any unsolicited rides or services,” Milinovich said.
Singh was arrested in London, Ont., where he was “visiting associates,” Milinovich said.
Supt. David Kennedy told reporters the accused came to Canada in December 2022 on a student visa but stopped short of saying where he went to school and said that part is under investigation.
The force said its investigators believe there are more victims and is encouraging them to come forward.
“Very clear what his modus operandi (MO) was,” Milinovich said. “He would approach South Asian females in their early 20s and offer rideshare services.”
“The way that the accused was operating, we definitely believe there are other victims and we’re concerned that they haven’t come forward yet,” Milinovich continued.
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