Hunt for lost dog leads to assault

By Scott NeufeldMonday, July 24, 2006 http://www.dailycourier.ca/article_393.php

A young teen was sexually assaulted late Friday night prompting police to issue a warning to residents along 33rd Street to be wary when walking at night.“People should be cautious, especially young girls,” said Cpl. Henry Proce of the Vernon RCMP. “We’re just asking for public assistance and asking people to be cautious.”The young girl had gone out at 11 p.m., with her mother’s permission, to look for her lost dog. After walking through the Mission Hill area and Polson Park

she sensed that someone was following her and called her mother from a cell phone to say that a man was following her.The mother immediately ran to look for her daughter and found her two blocks from home.The pursuer attacked the girl near the intersection of 33rd Street and 20th Avenue and forced her to perform a sexual act, police said.“Something like this is shocking anywhere in Vernon really,” Proce said. “She’s coping pretty well; she came in to the detachment the next day and gave a description of the suspect.”Several neighbours who would not give their names said that the area was a quiet neighbourhood with little crime.However, Kasten Pilz who lives near the intersection where the girl was assaulted said that the area has seen a lot of crime in the past. However, he said the area has been improving over the past year because of a city bylaw that cracks down on drug houses.“It was a bad street a year ago because it was a crack neighbourhood,” he said. “(The bylaw) has really cleaned up the neighbourhood.“The bylaw has meant that more owners are living in the area with fewer renters, Pilz said. As a result, more people are taking pride in the look of their homes and in their community.“Everybody is fixing up their houses, roads are going in,” he said.Pilz said he’s been worried at times about living in the neighbourhood before but hasn’t experienced any problems himself. Across the street he said his neighbour once had transients move into his camper which was parked in the backyard.But the assault hasn’t made him fearful of living in the neighbourhood, Pilz said. He said that such criminal acts don’t solely occur in his neighbourhood.“Such isolated incidents can happen anywhere,” he said.The suspect in the assault is described as caucasian, overweight, approximately 30 years of age, 5’8” or shorter, with a shaved head or short hair. He was wearing a button-up T-shirt and baggy khaki pants.Proce said that the description does not match that of anyone known to the police. He said no witnesses have come forward with more information.Police have composed a sketch of the suspect based on information from the victim. Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has any information concerning the sexual assault is urged to call the RCMP at 545-7171 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.