RCMP Still Looking for Spendex clad attacker - www.langleyadvance.com
A man suspected in a series of sexual assaults around the Lower Mainland has struck in Langley.
by Matthew Claxton

Langley is now on the list of communities visited by a bizarre sexual predator, who commits his crimes while wearing brightly coloured spandex outfits.

The Spandex Suspect, as police call the man, appeared twice in Langley on Dec. 19, in both Brookswood and Aldergrove.

In his first assault, at about 11:30 a.m., he jogged toward two 13-year-old girls who were walking near 208th Street and 37A Avenue.

As he approached them, he crossed from the opposite side of the road to their side, struck one girl on the buttocks, and then fled.

Just 45 minutes later, the same man showed up at 29th Avenue and 268A Street. The incident there was almost identical to the first assault. Two teenaged girls walking alone were approached by the jogger, who hit one of them and then ran off.

All four of the girls provided very similar descriptions of the supect, said RCMP Const. Amanda Dodd.

The suspect is a white man between 30 and 40 years old, with a slim face and skinny build, brown hair and a clean shaven face. He wears glasses, and in his most recent attacks, a grey shirt.

However his most obvious feature is the bright spandex pants he has worn in every attack. In the Langley cases he was wearing red spandex shorts, but in his assaults in Richmond and Burnaby, he was wearing a blue one-piece spandex outfit that resembled a wrestling uniform.

"We are working closely with the other jurisdictions involved," said Dodd.

The attacks in Langley may not seem serious in nature, but during one previous incident the suspect escalated his assault.

On Nov. 22, the suspect attacked three girls in seperate incidents, two in Richmond and one in Burnaby. Two of them were identical to the Langley attacks, but one saw an increase in the use of force.

According to the Richmond RCMP, a 14-year-old girl was walking home when she was grabbed by the suspect at the corner of Seaton and Seavale Roads.

The man grabbed her from behind and attempted to pull her pants off. The suspect pulled her underwear so hard they were ripped in two, and put his hand down her pants.

The girl managed to get away and ran home. Police dog handlers and other officers combed the area but couldn't find the attacker.

If the suspect is found, he could face charges of both assault and sexual assault, Dodd said.

Police in Burnaby, Richmond and now Langley are hoping the public can help them identify the man before he strikes again. Anything suspicious can be reported to the Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200 or to CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

published on 12/26/2006