CORNWALL, Ontario – The Cornwall Police Service (CPS) is requesting public assistance surrounding a suspicious person investigation.
On October 8th, 2020, between 5:00 pm and 5:30 pm, an unknown man approached a young boy who was sitting outside of the Benson Centre, located at 800 Seventh Street West, and told the boy he was there to pick him up. A witness in the area intervened and the man left the area.
The man is described as being Caucasian, approximately 5’7”-5’9” tall, with a thin build and a small grey beard. The vehicle he left the area in is described as being an older model silver, 4-door, Volkswagen sedan with rust on the front and rear panels, as well as on the bottom of the vehicle.
At this time the incident is being investigated as an isolated incident, however, the CPS would like to remind parents to talk to their children about what to do if they are approached by a stranger. We have included some helpful advice for parents to share with their children:
· Never get into someone’s car and never go anywhere with a stranger, for any reason.
· Stand well away from the vehicle if a driver asks you for questions.
· Set up a secret password with your parents so that if they need you to go somewhere with someone in an emergency, you will know you can trust that person.
· Avoid walking alone in the street or at the park, and avoid going into public washrooms alone; always go with a friend or an adult you trust.
· If someone asks you for help, tell them to ask an adult.
· Always tell your parents where you are and who you are with.
· Say NO to anyone, even a member of your family, who does something that makes you feel uncomfortable, embarrasses you or frightens you. Tell your parents or another adult you trust if anything like this happens.
· If ever you feel uncomfortable or unsure about someone talking to you, look for a trusted adult in the area who can help you, such as an employee, a teacher, a coach, etc.
Anyone with information on this investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Constable Michel Riel at 613-933-5000 ext. 2775 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS/ seawayvalleycrimestoppers.ca to leave anonymous information.