Elderly Australian tourist robbed in downtown Kamloops

KAMLOOPS – A Kamloops man relieved an elderly tourist from Australia of her purse in downtown Kamloops last night.

Kamloops RCMP say the woman was walking near the corner of Lansdowne Street and Third Avenue when the man snatched the purse while running by. 

In a release, Sgt. Darren Michels said a local bystander tried to chase him down but couldn't catch him. The purse was later found but the waller remains missing. 

Kamloops RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a male suspect who robbed an elderly Australian tourist near the corner of 3rd and Lansdowne Street.

"The tourist was not injured in the robbery but shaken up as a result," Michels said.

Police, and likely the entire city, is looking for a Caucasian man in his mid 20s. He's roughly 5'9" to 5'11" tall with a slim build, wearing jean shorts, a black T-shirt and was wearing a beige hat on backwards. 

If you have any information on this robbery or can identify the suspect please contact the Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 of Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Ashley Legassic or call 250-319-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

?We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.