According to police, a 63-year-old woman with dementia was abducted on Saturday morning in the Unicity area of Winnipeg.
Sandra McLaughlin was riding in the back of her 2012 blue Jeep Patriot with her Manitoba KXR 852 license plate when it was stolen around 1:57 a.m., police said.
Const. Jay Murray, of the public information office of the police service, said at a news conference Saturday that the driver of the vehicle, a McLaughlin relative, was inside a gas station at 3600 Portage Avenue Block when he was taken away. steal with McLaughlin inside.
“The individual jumps into the vehicle while that person is inside the gas station … the vehicle takes off, and that person basically runs after the vehicle trying to stop him,” Murray said.
“He may still be in the back of this vehicle. We just don’t know at the moment, but we have immediate concerns about his well-being.”
The surveillance video shows a man riding next to the passenger of the Jeep, moving to the driver’s side and waving a white gloved hand at the driver as he runs towards the vehicle.
TARGET | Kidnapping captured by surveillance camera:
A man caught on camera stealing a car with a woman inside
Video surveillance footage shows a man grabbing a vehicle from a Winnipeg gas station with a 63-year-old woman inside.
“Right now, we’re treating this as a random incident. We have nothing to indicate that this person knew either Sandra or the driver of the vehicle,” Murray said.
Investigators are using surveillance video to locate the vehicle, Murray said. He was last seen traveling west on the ring road.
The man suspected of kidnapping Sandra McLaughlin was caught by the security camera. He is about six feet tall and has dark hair. He is depicted wearing a gray jacket, dark shorts, a white sweatshirt, white sandals and gloves. (Sent by Winnipeg Police)
The Jeep has a hole in the driver’s side door by the handle and rusts on the rims of the tires. It also has “Class A” partial service stickers.
McLaughlin is about five feet seven, with long black and white hair and was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt.
Police released a stock image of the type of vehicle driven by Sandra McLaughlin. There is a detonation next to the driver and rust on the rims of the tires. It also has partial “Class A” service labels. (Sent by Winnipeg Police)
The man suspected of wearing it was about six feet tall, with dark hair. He was seen in security footage with a gray jacket, dark shorts, a white sweatshirt, white sandals and gloves.
Police ask anyone with information about McLaughlin’s whereabouts or the man to call 911 or the Winnipeg Police Service Missing Persons Unit at 204-986-6250. The Major Crimes Unit is also involved in the investigation.