Police 'using all investigative tools' after parking lot robbery

Police are investigating what is being called a random attack that took place earlier this week.

Kelowna RCMP said a woman was sitting in her car in a parking lot when a man opened her passenger door at around 5:15 p.m. on Feb. 22.

He threatened her with a knife and demanded her belongings. Before running away, the man sprayed her with bear spray.

The woman ran to a nearby business on the 2800 block of Highway 97 for help. She was treated for minor injuries in hospital.

“We’re treating it very seriously. This was a stranger-on-stranger attack, and a young person was hurt,” Const. Michael Della-Paolera told Kelowna10. “We’re putting all of our investigational tools at work to try to figure out who this person was.”

Immediately following the attack, police searched the area with a dog team, but found nothing.

Della-Paolera reminded people to always have their vehicle doors locked when not paying full attention to what’s going on around them.

“People are on their cell phones or they’re talking to other people and they’re not necessarily paying attention to the public outside of their vehicle,” he said.

The suspect is described as 5-foot-11, and was wearing a black jacket, black pants, and a black medical-style mask.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

Despite the attack, Della-Paolera maintains Kelowna is safe.

“We have lots of police officers who are doing a really great job of getting around and being where we need to be,” he said. “Unfortunately, things get past us, and we have to catch up to it like this one.”