Barrie police need help identifying a woman following an assault and theft at the north-end Walmart last month.
The assailant is described as a white woman, between 25 to 35 years old, with a thin build and blonde hair. She was wearing a black winter jacket with fur on the hood. The suspect is wanted by police for theft and assault after discharging an unknown irritant at store security on Nov. 15 while fleeing the store.
Police say the woman was observed by store security and approached as she was leaving the store, at which time she discharged an “irritant” in his direction, explained Barrie police communications co-ordinator Peter Leon.
Leon told BarrieToday the loss-prevention staff member had been watching the accused and was attempting to follow up on a matter at the time of the assault.
The security guard managed to follow the woman out of the store where she sprayed him a second time, causing some burning to the man's eyes.
"That would lead us to believe that it was a pepper-type spray,” said Leon, adding she was possibly seen getting into a mid-2000s, dark-coloured minivan.
“It’s basically assault with a weapon because of the spray that was discharged. It did temporarily incapacitate the individual, but he was able to continue on and got a second blast when he approached her again,” said Leon.
Paramedics were called to the store, however the guard didn’t require medical attention.
“Here’s a case of an individual that was just doing his job and was accosted in a manner that we haven’t seen too much of in recent times in this area," Leon said. "It just shows how careful people need to be. This individual was bound and determined to get away with whatever they had concealed and appear to have been able to do so for the time being, because the pictures are pretty clear and we are hoping somebody will be able to identify who she is.”
Anyone with information is asked to email the investigating officer at [email protected].
