A woman says a suspicious man was seen talking to her daughter and fled when she approached him in Ben Lee Park.

(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

KELOWNA – A possible case of child luring in Ben Lee Park last night has a mother and police worried for the safety of children in Rutland.

Shortly after 8 p.m. on July 27 a mother told police she saw a man speaking with her young daughter and an unknown six-year-old boy.

“The mother watched as the boy went to his parents nearby and the man gestured to her daughter with both hands, while saying 'come here, come here,'" Const. Jesse O’Donaghey says in a media release. “The child yelled for her mother, who confronted the man who ran from the area.”

O’Donaghey says police flooded the area but were unable to find the man who reportedly fled in the direction of Franklyn Road.

RCMP described the suspect as a half-Caucasian, half-South Asian male in his mid-30s or early 40s. He is approximately 6’ tall, 160 lbs. with a medium, athletic build, short black hair, clean cut with a chin strap beard. He spoke with an accent and was wearing a black shirt with white logo, bright blue board shorts and sneakers.

He has a tattoo on his right forearm, possibly of writing which went all the way around his forearm.

“Investigators are interested in speaking with the family of the young boy who may have also spoken with this man, as well as any other witnesses who may have information to assist in this investigation,” O’Donaghey says. “The RCMP would also like to urge the man himself, if he is reading this, to come forward and speak with police.”

Tips on street proofing children can be found on this B.C. RCMP website.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Kelowna RCMP General Investigation Section (GIS) at 250-762-3300. Remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, leaving a tip online at www.crimestoppers.net or by texting your tip to CRIMES (274637) ktown.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw or call 250-718-0428 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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News from © iNFOnews, 2016