Woman punched and robbed in apparent random Vancouver attack

Vancouver Police are seeking information after a woman was assaulted and robbed in the Marpole neighbourhood on Aug. 27 at about 1:30 a.m.

Police say the woman was walking in the west lane of the 8600 block of Granville Street, near SW Marine Drive, when an unidentified man approached her. The man allegedly punched her in the face, stole her purse and fled before officers arrived.

A neighbourhood search was unsuccessful, VPD said. The victim’s phone was found nearby, and British Columbia Emergency Health Services treated her at the scene for injuries to her nose. The suspect was not known to the victim.

Officers are reviewing nearby surveillance footage and are asking drivers who were in the area of Granville Street and SW Marine Drive between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on Aug. 27 to check dashcam recordings. Witnesses or people with video are asked to call Vancouver Police at 604-717-3321 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.