Skip to content

Police seek man intentionally leaving teddy bear on sidewalk in Oak Bay

Man approached teen girl who picked up the stuffy
23809877_web1_200615-OBN-ReopeningRecCtrs-in-oakbay_5
Oak Bay Recreation Centre on Bee Street is reopening in stages, starting June 22. In mid-March Oak Bay closed all recreation facilities due to a COVID-19 outbreak. (Travis Paterson/News Staff)

Oak Bay Police received a report of a man dropping a teddy bear on the sidewalk near Oak Bay Recreation Centre as bait to approach the person who picked it up.

The report came from a 14-year-old girl who witnessed the act on Dec. 30 at about 2:15 p.m., and then again on Jan. 1.

“She was walking in the area with friends she observed a male subject place a small teddy bear on the sidewalk. After she picked it up the male approached and engaged in conversation,” said Oak Bay Police Deputy Chief Mark Fisher.

The teen saw the man in the same area on Jan. 1 and again saw the stuffed bear on the sidewalk.

The suspect is described as a Caucasian man, about 6’ and 190 pounds, 25 to 30 years old with black hair. He was riding a white bike.

READ ALSO: Residents asked to avoid Saanich, Oak Bay shorelines after wastewater overflow

Police attended looked for the man and made inquiries with residents in the neighborhood, Fisher said. The matter is still under investigation.

Police received several complaints of stunt driving in the area of Cedar Hill Cross Road and Cadboro Bay Road throughout the past month.

On the evenings of Jan. 1 and 2, police were able to locate and identify the drivers and vehicles involved.

A 21-year-old from Oak Bay had his car impound seven days for “stunting,” Fisher said. And a 20-year-old man from Saanich was issued a ticket for driving without consideration, a $196 fine, and also had his vehicle impounded seven days for stunting.

On Dec. 28, police attended the Oak Bay Marina Dockside Eatery for reports of a man who had stolen two ice cream bars.

“The male provided a first name of ‘Blaine’ and is described as Caucasian, mid to late 30s, medium build, with brown hair. He fled the area and could not be located by police,” Fisher said.

It’s the second case of ice cream bars stolen in Oak Bay as a man broke into the Dairy Queen in September and also stole ice cream bars.

READ ALSO: Thief steals ice cream bars from Oak Bay Dairy Queen

On Dec. 30, police responded to 3050 Lansdowne Road where a tree fell on a vehicle.

Oak Bay Parks also attended to assist with removal of the fallen tree and a second damaged tree to ensure no further damage occurred.

That same day, there were two separate reports of vehicular damage. The first is a hit-and-run to a parked car in the overflow parking lot of Oak Bay Recreation Center at the end of Goldsmith Street at some point between 6:45 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. The offender’s vehicle left a scuff mark of white paint and a cracked bumper. The other incident was at 2233 Bowker Ave., where someone damaged vehicle tires.

On Jan. 1, a resident reported another incident of vehicular damage on Musgrave Street, where part of a resident’s vehicle was spray-painted with black paint overnight.

“Police would like to remind residents that good video surveillance can be helpful in identifying individuals responsible for thefts from vehicles and vandalism to property,” Fisher said.

Oak Bay Police received several reports of theft from vehicles overnight between Dec. 30-31 in the surrounding residential area of Estevan Village.

reporter@oakbaynews.com