A Moncton woman says she’s still in shock after being assaulted and robbed in a quiet residential neighbourhood, but what she finds even more surprising is how she says the RCMP reacted to her experience.
Nathalie Mailhot says she was biking Monday at around 3 p.m. on Braemar Drive, near the Université de Moncton, when she was mugged.
“I was on my bike around the university and a girl in a black truck with a man driving asked for my cellphone, and I said no. I kept going and finally they parked the car and the girl just got out and pushed me,” she recalled.
Mailhot alleges the woman pinned her under her own bike, causing minor injuries to her lip and lower back in the process.
“I was trying to shout very loud to push her, but my bike was not allowing me,” she said.
“Then she was able to open my backpack, grabbed my wallet with all my cards, you name it. Then she got back in the car and drove off with the man.”
Mailhot immediately called police, but alleges it took four hours for an RCMP officer to meet her in person.
While she was waiting, she went to her office and began making calls to cancel her debit and credit cards, all while in a state of shock.
“There were transactions made immediately after the assault,” she told Global News in French, noting the transactions totalled roughly $400.
She said an RCMP officer called to say he had gone to the scene to check for security cameras at neighbouring houses, and met her at her home at roughly 7 p.m.
She alleges the officer told her it was likely nothing would come from the investigation.
She alleges he wasn’t able to offer any information on resources for victims.
“I didn’t feel like it was important to help me,” said Mailhot.
“The (officer) never gave me anything and I asked him, ‘Does it exist?’ And he didn’t know. I said, ‘Could you check it for me?’ Finally, he just said, ‘They’ll call you … when, where, how I don’t know.'”
Constable Sébastien Pelchat from the Codiac RCMP confirmed to Global News on Tuesday evening that the police force was using her transaction history to investigate the matter.
She’s calling for better protocols when it comes to assisting victims of violent crimes.
A spokesperson with Codiac RCMP said they couldn’t comment on “individual interactions” between the public and officers.
“However, I can confirm that the incident you referenced did occur and that police are actively investigating this matter,” wrote Cpl. Matthew Leblanc-Smith in an email.
“As part of our commitment to transparency and accountability, if the individual involved feels that the police did not act appropriately, they are encouraged to file a public complaint.”
— with a file from Rebecca Lau