A Barrie mother says she was frightened Tuesday after she was followed as she and her three young kids walked to a south-end park.
Vicki Collins (not her real name) said she was headed to Wilkins Beach with her children when saw a unique-looking car — which she believes was the subject of social-media posts related to a suspicious incident this past weekend — drive past her and her kids several times.
“I was walking to go to the park from our house and noticed that car had driven past going out of our subdivision. I had seen what somebody had posted (on Facebook) the other day, so that car really stood out to me," she said of the distinctive vehicle.
“I just continued walking to the beach and I noticed the car had driven past us again," Collins added. "It then drove past a couple more times; we have a lot of small streets that loop around.”
Collins said seeing the vehicle repeatedly was “weird,” and not just because of previously seeing the vehicle on social media.
“He drove past enough that I felt uneasy, no matter what,” she said.
Collins said the car drove past her and her kids as they approached the park entrance and she eventually sped up to get out of sight and off the road.
“As I walked down the path, I could hear something behind us. I thought (it was) maybe a squirrel, because it was a forest all around us. I turned around and there was a guy there behind us," said Collins, who believes the man is in his mid-30s. “I said, ‘Hey, what's your problem?’ And he just kind of froze and went back the way he came.
"I feel like if there was nothing wrong that he would have said 'Nothing is wrong, I’m just going to the beach.'”
Collins told her husband about what had happened. They called the police about the incident Wednesday morning. However, because there was no communication from the man and no harm was done, she was told by police that “there was nothing we can do," she said.
Collins says she believes it was the same man who was the subject of a social-media firestorm following an incident on Saturday at Johnson's Beach, in the city's east end. A woman posted in a local Facebook group that a man had been acting suspiciously at Johnson's Beach.
That incident prompted an unusual media release from Barrie police on Tuesday about a suspicious incident that occured on Saturday, Aug. 22 "at a local beach."
The statement indicated an individual had been identified and police confirmed there was no risk to public safety.
"While the Barrie Police Service understands the concern of the public when investigations of this nature are underway, the public is reminded that making threats and harassing others is unacceptable and could be considered a criminal action," the statement said.
Barrie police communications co-ordinator Jennett Mays told BarrieToday that the incident from Saturday “might have seemed concerning,” but reiterated the individual had been spoken to by police.
Mays encouraged anyone to contact police if and when they feel concerned for their safety.
“I think the advice stands that if you see something suspicious, or something happens to you that may not be criminal but it still just feels off or doesn't feel right, we have the non-emergency line,” said Mays. “People can call in and there are different options for you depending on the situation."
Barrie police can be reached at 705-725-7025.
