Suspect caught on camera assaulting teen and stealing bike in Nanaimo, RCMP say

Nanaimo RCMP released these two still photos of the suspect, along with video of the robbery. (Nanaimo RCMP)

Police in Nanaimo are hoping to identify a man in his 40s who was caught on camera assaulting a teenager and stealing a bike.

Video of the altercation shared by Nanaimo RCMP Friday shows the suspect approaching two youths outside the McDonald’s at 1835 Bowen Rd. He can be seen throwing a cup of water and a jacket at one of the minors, then grabbing one of their bikes and running away.

In the video, the teens get up and start chasing the thief, but police said they “wisely stopped after the suspect allegedly uttered threats at them.”

The altercation occurred around 4 p.m. on July 4, police said, adding that officers were called to the scene and conducted “extensive patrols,” but were unable to locate the bike or the suspect.

Nanaimo RCMP distributed a photo of the bicycle, described as “a bright orange Devinci,” to all front-line officers, and on Monday afternoon, a person with a bike flagged down a patrol officer, police said.

“The officer confirmed the bike in question was the stolen Devinci and took possession of it,” the release reads. “That night, the bike’s owner attended to the Nanaimo detachment and gratefully had it returned to him.”

While the bike has been recovered, the suspect remains unidentified, according to police.

They described him as a white man, 40 to 45 years old, with a medium build and a goatee. He was wearing a black T-shirt with the word “Honda” on the front, along with a dark baseball cap and blue jeans.

Police are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.