Man accused of attempting to lure young girls in two Saskatoon stores

Police in Saskatoon are searching for a man who allegedly tried to lure two young girls over the past two months inside retail stores.

According to police, the man has “been the subject of two complaints from customers at two separate retail businesses on the east side of the city.”

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The alleged first incident happened in the car seat section of a large department store in Preston Crossing, in the 1700 block of Preston Avenue North, on March 7, police said. The man reportedly approached a six-year-old girl inside the store at around 10 a.m. and “motioned for her to step away from her family and approach him,” police said.

The man was also reported to have motioned for a four-year-old girl to approach him in the children’s section of a retail store in the 31oo block of Eighth Street East on at around 12:45 p.m. on April 9, police said.

Saskatoon police said surveillance video from both stores was reviewed, and officers believe the same man was involved in both incidents.

Police described the man as clean shaven, white and in his 50s. In both incidents, police said the man wore a black Under Armour baseball hat and black running shoes. During the alleged incident at Preston Crossing, police the man wore a black jacket with grey shoulders and blue jeans. In the incident on Eighth Street E, he wore a black jacket and tan pants.

When asked about the length of time between the incidents occurring and police requesting public assistance, Saskatoon police pointed to several aspects of the investigation that had to take place, including interviews and searching through video surveillance, “so that we have something worthy of sharing with the public.

“Sometimes those elements can take time,” Saskatoon police said in an email response to 650 CKOM.

Saskatoon police asked the public for any information that could help identify the man, in order “to further investigate the actions and intentions of the male involved.” Anyone with information was asked to contact police or make an anonymous report through Crime Stoppers.