Two 16-year-old girls had their cellphones stolen and may have been sexually assaulted in an early-morning incident Thursday at a Surrey park.
Surrey RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet said police attended the park near 135th Street and 62A Avenue at 1 a.m., responding to a robbery call.
“The two girls provided descriptions, as well as a suspect vehicle,” said Paquet. “They were very co-operative, providing a lot of detail.
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“We had officers from all over converging on the area.
“It took only minutes, and we located the suspects.”
What began as a robbery probe is now also a sexual-assault investigation.
“Subsequent interviews contained allegations of sexual assault, and we are trying to determine the degree,” Paquet told The Province. “As far as I know, the suspects are still in custody and are being interviewed even as we speak.”
Paquet said the four young suspects, all from Surrey, are known to police.
He said investigators still have to determine how many of the youths were involved in the alleged crimes, and whether the victims and suspects knew each other.
“We’re trying to establish whether there was a previous contact or knowledge,” said Paquet.
Victims’ services personnel are helping the young girls and their families cope with their ordeal.
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