WATCH: A warning for anyone posting ads on Craigslist or any other online marketplace, after a 59-year-old man was badly beaten.
VANCOUVER – A 59-year-old man will require assistance for the rest of his life following a brutal assault that took place last November.
Vancouver Police say the victim had posted a Craigslist ad, selling some costume jewellery, and was attacked in his home when the buyer responded to the ad.
It happened on Nov. 11, 2014, at about 5:30 p.m. The victim suffered severe head and facial trauma and was knocked unconscious. It was more than an hour before he was able to get up and walk to a neighbour’s apartment to ask for help.
The suspect stole several items from the home, but Cst. Brian Montague, with the Vancouver Police, says they believe the motivation for the robbery was the jewllery, which the suspect may have thought was worth more.
The suspect is described as white, 25 to 30 years old, 5’9″, with a medium build. He was wearing the following distinct clothing:
- black baseball hat with green brim and yellow “DC” logo
- dark jacket with grey hoodie underneath
- black track pants with thick white stripe down the side
- white runners with black laces, carrying an empty brown bag
In a rare move, Montague says they are releasing an image of the victim, with his consent, as a warning sign to others to consider when buying or selling items online.
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“The physical injuries as well as the mental injuries will stay with him,” says Montague.
“He is a true victim here.”
Vancouver Police would like to speak with the man in the photos below. Anyone with information about this attack, or who believes might know the identity of the suspect, is asked to call the VPD Robbery Unit at (604) 717 2541 or Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 222-8477.
The Vancouver Police Department says members of the public can use the police station as a safe zone for Craigslist purchases.
People looking for an extra layer of security during face-to-face transactions set up on the online classified website can meet outside the station or in the lobby.
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