Ridge Meadows RCMP are looking for help identifying a suspect after an 83-year-old woman was assaulted and had her purse stolen.
On Monday, around 12:50 p.m., Ridge Meadows RCMP responded to a call that an elderly woman was the victim of an assault and her purse was stolen.
The woman was walking in the 12200-block area of 224th Street when she was approached quickly by a lone male, who grabbed her purse, knocking her to the ground, according to RCMP.
The victim did not suffer any serious injuries.
The suspect is described as a Caucasian male, standing 5’9” and wearing a red hat.
One witness provided a statement, but police are asking the public for any information or video that can help identify the suspect.
“This situation can be terrifying for anyone, but it is particularly disturbing when one of our elderly citizens is targeted,” said staff sergeant Tony Farahbakhchian.
“At this time, we do believe this is an isolated incident.”
Police are providing the following safety tips for the elderly:
• walk in pairs, particularly at night;
• do not carry more cash than necessary or rely solely on your debit card;
• leave government ID items, such as passports, social security cheques at home;
• arrange for any cheques to be directly deposited to your bank account;
• if carrying a purse, clutch it the same way a football player would hold a ball;
• if your purse is grabbed, give it up immediately rather than risk injury by fighting or hanging on to it;
• carry your keys in your pocket and not your purse;
• always tell someone where you are going and when they can expect you to arrive.
If anyone has any information, call Ridge Meadows RCMP at 604-463-6251. To remain anonymous, call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or leave a tip at solvecrime.ca. CrimeStoppers may pay a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.