SURREY – Police say they have DNA of the South Asian men accused of raping a sex trade worker from Surrey. Surrey RCMP issued a public appeal for information about a violent sexual assault that happened four months ago. Two men picked up a sex-trade worker at King George Boulevard and 105th Avenue on October 18, 2012.
She was driven to a secluded area on Colebrook Rd. where she was sexually and physically assaulted. She suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries, RCMP said. Community workers say police took too long to alert the public.
“People in our community have a sense that their lives have less value or less attention is paid when things happen,” said Jonquil Hallgate, Executive Director of Surrey Urban Mission.
But police say they reached out to community groups and sex trade workers to alert them to the investigation and help root out the two suspects.
RCMP say they made the announcement now that they have DND evidence in hand.
“Several persons of interest were identified early on in this case, many of which have been eliminated through various investigative avenues, including the examination of forensic evidence and DNA testing,” said Surrey RCMP Investigative Services Supt. Trent Rolfe.
Police have released composite sketches of the suspects in the latest attack.
The first is a South Asian male in his mid-20s, who is 6’1 with a lean build. The second man is also South Asian in his mid-20s, with a stocky build, weighing up to 230 pounds.
The vehicle used in the assault is a metallic blue four-door sedan with low-profile tires and dark tinted windows.
“From the early stages of this investigation, it was clear to our investigators that this was a serious assault involving a sex trade worker,” said Surrey RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet.
Anyone with any information regarding this attack or the suspects are asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
