Nanaimo RCMP is looking for a man who exposed himself to a nine-year-old girl walking on a trail near Westwood Lake on Tuesday.
The young girl was walking about 100 metres behind her siblings and father when a man appeared in the bushes and exposed himself about 6 p.m. Tuesday, said Nanaimo RCMP spokesman Const. Gary O鈥橞rien.
The man said a few words then left the area. The young girl ran to her father, who went back to the area to look for the man but could not find him. Officers arrived at the scene and spoke to the girl and her father. Police stayed in the area for over an hour, speaking with several people, but no one else reported seeing the man.
The man is described as between 35 and 40 years old and wearing a blue surgical mask. He was wearing a black hat with white lettering on the front and a green shirt.
鈥淲estwood Lake is undoubtedly the most popular park in the City of Nanaimo. It is used by hundreds on a daily basis for swimming, hiking and cycling, and like other parks and trails throughout Nanaimo, it is extremely safe. Unfortunately, incidents like the one reported do occasionally occur,鈥� O鈥橞rien said in a statement.
Anyone who encounters a similar situation is advised to leave and not engage with the individual, and to report the incident immediately to police with a detailed a description of the incident and suspect. Police advise walking in groups or with a buddy, carrying a cellphone and, if wearing earbuds, lowering the volume so as to be able to hear someone approaching.
Anyone with information about this incident who has not already spoken with police is asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345 and quote file #2020-32203.