Police officers and auxiliary constables were out knocking on doors near Moscrop Street and Smith Avenue this week in hopes of finding information about a murder and an assault that took place in the area last week.
Monday afternoon, Burnaby RCMP issued a warning to residents after a woman was assaulted while walking home around 1:40 a.m. on April 18, two days after a man’s body was found lying in the eastbound lane of Moscrop Street near Smith Avenue.
Shortly after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 10 auxiliary officers and 10 Burnaby RCMP officers took to the streets to speak with residents in an attempt to locate witnesses who may have been in the area or heard something at the time of either the assault or homicide, Staff Sgt. Maj. John Buis, spokesperson for the Burnaby RCMP, said.
While Buis is still waiting to hear from the officers if the canvassing event garnered any clues in the murder of the 33-year-old Burnaby man on April 16 or the assault on April 18, he did say officers spoke with quite a few residents who hadn’t heard about either incident or the police warning.
“So it was good for us to be able to do that,” Buis added.
Police haven’t said yet whether the two incidents are connected but felt the public needed to be warned because the incidents took place in the same area, around the same time and both victims were travelling on foot, Buis said.
“Please trust your instincts and be aware of your surroundings, and, if at all possible, travel in pairs, especially if you are out walking late at night," Buis said in an earlier release.
“Please be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to police,” he added.
A dedicated tip line has been set up by Burnaby RCMP. Anyone with information on the April 19 assault or the April 16 murder is asked to contact the Burnaby RCMP at 604-294-7922 and tell the receptionist you’re calling about the above incidents.
