Anything out of the ordinary, no matter how insignificant it might seem, could be important — that's the message the Sudbury OPP want to get across to people in the neighbourhood where a woman was forced from her home and assaulted on Monday.
Lillian Russell, who lives on Secord Road in Dill Township off Highway 69 south of the city, was reported missing Monday morning. That same day, police issued a news release about a home invasion in the same area.
It turned out the two cases were actually the same case. The OPP canine unit, Emergency Response Team and a helicopter unit assisted in what turned out to be a fruitless search for Russell on Monday.
Police say she was taken from her home under duress on Monday morning, a fact they didn't discover until Monday night, when she suddenly returned home.
Sudbury.com reporter Callam Rodya spoke with a neighbour who reported to police that he'd found Russell's car sitting empty on Secord Road on Monday morning. A knife and keys were lying close by, and the woman's purse was in the ditch.
After interviewing her, they determined she'd been the victim of a home invasion, taken from her home and assaulted. Police aren't saying whether that assault was physical or sexual in nature.
They also note nothing was stolen from the Russell home.
The suspect in the case, a white man in his 30s or 40s with long dark hair and a beard, is still at large.
The OPP is actively looking for him, Const. André Taschereau told Sudbury.com today, with the Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Det. Sgt. Mike Laxton and Det. Const. Rob Lewis, heading up the case.
Officers are still out canvassing in the Secord Road area.
But there is something people in the area can do to assist police in the hunt for the suspect, Taschereau said. His message: keep your eyes peeled and tell police about anything out of the ordinary.
"We put out the public safety message for people to be vigilant," Taschereau said, including locking doors and keeping outside lights on.
But besides protecting themselves and their property, he said vigilance means be aware of what's happening in the neighbourhood.
"We get comfortable in the neighbourhood where we live, because we know the people," Taschereau said. "But is there something new? Who's driving down your street? What's going on around you? Do you notice anyone who doesn't fit?
"Even if it's something you saw Monday morning. You might think it's trivial, but it might not be."
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the OPP at 888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) and report the information.
