Victoria police are trying to identify a man who allegedly posed as a rideshare driver and tried to take a woman back to his house.
The woman was waiting on Store Street for her rideshare driver early on Aug. 13 when she was approached by a man in a vehicle.
He indicated that he was there to take her home, so she assumed it was the ride she had ordered.
But when she got in, police said, the man told her he was was going to take her back to his place. She quickly realized he was not who she thought he was and managed to get out of the vehicle a few blocks away.
The man is described as dark-skinned and 20 to 40 years old with a slim build, short black hair and a trimmed beard.
The vehicle is believed to be a grey, four-door sedan with tinted windows, possible a Nissan Altima from 2013 to 2018.
Anyone with information is asked to call Victoria police at 250-995-7654, extension 1, or Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Police offered the following safety tips for people using rideshare:
• Confirm details of your rideshare vehicle and driver details before getting in by using the booking information provided with the rideshare app, including the vehicle make, model and colour, as well as the licence plate number and driver identity.
• Look for the logo of the company you have called on the rideshare vehicle. It will usually be on the front and rear windshields.
• Share trip details, including your location and arrival time, with a friend through the rideshare app.
• Be aware that there are police officers downtown on Friday and Saturday nights as part of the “Late Night Great Night” program. Report anything that makes you feel unsafe.
• Check out Good Night Out Victoria, a non-profit society that offers education and training on gender-based and sexualized violence prevention to liquor-serving establishments on Vancouver Island.
