Unknown men have been reported following teenage girls home in Toronto during two separate incidents, which has prompted Toronto police to issue a public safety alert.
Toronto Police Services is conducting an ongoing investigation after the two incidents were reported in the city’s Rosedale neighbourhood, a week apart.
The first case was reported near Elm Avenue and Dunbar Road around 8 a.m. on March 7 near the independent girls school Branksome Hall. In this case, a 14-year-old girl said she was walking when a small, black sedan followed her for a short distance.
She said she didn’t know the driver and several minutes later, a man approached her from behind and demanded that she enter a nearby vehicle. When she refused, he allegedly grabbed her hand and tried to pull her inside. The teen broke free and fled the area.
Police said they’re looking for a black man who wore a black Adidas hoodie and who appeared to be in his late 20s to early 30s, six feet tall, with shaved or short-cut hair.
A week later, a similar incident was reported nearly a block away, near Elm Avenue and Sherbourne Street at approximately 3:30 p.m., according to police.
In the March 15 incident, a 13-year-old girl said a silver Nissan Altima began following her as she walked along the sidewalk. When someone in the car allegedly began making sexual comments to the girl, she ran into a nearby friend’s house.
The car remained outside of the house for a short time before it drove away. The man sought in this incident is described as a black man in his early 20s.
Toronto police const. Jen Sidhu called the incidents "very disturbing," in an interview with CTV Toronto.
She said in both cases, the man allegedly asked the teens for their social media information. Sidhu also urged parents to speak to their children about what they should do if they're approached by a stranger.
Faculty at the Branksome Hall told CTV Toronto they have taken those reccomendations and spoke to students about personal safety and offered tips to stay alert.
In both cases, Toronto police are asking residents to check their home security videos because there’s a chance they captured images that could assist investigators. Police haven’t confirmed if the men in question were the same person.
Police are urging anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-5300, at Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, or on the Toronto Police's Facebook “Leave a Tip” page.
With a file from CTV Toronto
