Nanaimo RCMP say a woman was attacked along Commercial St., near Terminal Ave. in late March, robbing her of several hundred dollars in cash. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

CASH GRAB

Nanaimo senior allegedly assaulted & robbed of several hundred dollars

May 13, 2022 | 10:44 AM

NANAIMO — A local 71-year-old woman has come forward to police after saying she was pushed to the ground and robbed of cash in late March.

Police say the incident occurred on March 22 around 5:30 p.m. on Commercial St. near Terminal Ave. The woman told officers she had walked from the nearby TD Bank at Port Place Shopping Centre, to Casino Nanaimo for a cup of tea.

Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW she then walked along Commercial St. towards Gordon St. to catch a bus when she was surrounded by three or four men.

“One pinned her arms and pushed her to the sidewalk, she struck the sidewalk with the side of her face which knocked her glasses off. The next thing she knows one of them reaches into her pocket and grabs a wad of cash she had and they took off running.”

The woman suffered some minor bruising in the attack. She provided a vague description of the attackers, saying they were men with dark clothing and told police she was carrying several hundred dollars at the time.

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She was initially very embarrassed about the incident and delayed reporting it to police, finally being convinced to do so by her husband.

O’Brien said investigators believe she may have been followed in the lead up to her ordeal.

“We believe, based on what she’s told us, she may have been targeted and followed because she did take cash out of the bank at the TD, then later took cash out of the ATM at the casino so she may have been followed from either or of those places.”

O’Brien said they’re putting out a “last ditch effort” to solicit any information from the public.

“There’s a little bit of delay and a very difficult time gathering information. Our investigators spent considerable time trying to find some CCTV cameras, they were unable to.”

Anyone in the area of Terminal Ave. and Commercial St. on the evening of March 22 is asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP at 250 754 2345 with any information they have.

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