A woman walking on a trail in Cedar ran into a man committing an indecent act on Tuesday, backed away and called police, Nanaimo RCMP said.
The incident occurred about 1 p.m. on the Cable Bay Trail located off Holden Corso Road in Cedar.
Police said the 49-year-old woman was walking toward Dodds Narrows when she saw a man crouched in nearby bushes with his pants down.
She said he quickly stood up and she could see that he was committing an indecent act, so she backed away and walked as fast as she could back to her car, where she called police.
Officers conducted patrols but no one was found.
The suspect is described as Hispanic, in his 40s, heavy-set and clean-shaven, with long, dark hair with some grey on the sides and tied in a ponytail.
He was wearing a long-sleeved, faded, plaid button-up shirt and blue jeans, and had about a four-centimetre red scar, possibly a birth mark, on the front of his right thigh.
“There are dozens of excellent trails scattered throughout Nanaimo and surrounding areas used by hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts on a weekly basis that are very safe to use,” said Reserve Const. Gary O’Brien. “However, from time to time these sorts of incidents may occur.”
Police advised hikers to carry a charged phone, make noise if confronted, tell other trail users about any concerns and report any incidents as soon as possible.
Anyone with information about Tuesday’s incident is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.
