Vancouver Police say man posed as dad, trying to take five-year-old girl from daycare

VANCOUVER — Police in Vancouver say a man posing as a parent tried to take a five-year-old girl from a home daycare, in what they call a “troubling” case.

They say the incident happened on Dec. 13, when a man showed up at the East Vancouver after-school daycare at about 3:30 p.m. and asked for the girl by name.

The operator’s daughter told police the man claimed to be the child’s father but the girl was out of the house with daycare staff at that moment and the man left without her.

Police say staff became suspicious and reported the incident to police after speaking to the child’s parents.

VPD spokesman Steve Addison says investigators confirmed neither parent had gone to pick up the girl at the time of the incident, and “nobody else should have been aware of the childcare arrangement.”

Police say the suspect is a white man in his 30s, about six feet tall with a medium build.

Officers also want to find the driver of an orange Porsche Macan seen in the area who may be able to help with the investigation, although the vehicle is not linked to the incident.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 5, 2024.

The Canadian Press