Police have charged a man in relation to a sexual assault that occurred in Halifax earlier this year. At the time of the assault, the man posed as a loss prevention officer at a department store.

On July 15 police received a report of a sexual assault that had occurred on July 13 at the Walmart located at 6990 Mumford Road. An employee, who was not working at the time, identified himself as a loss prevention officer and touched a woman who was not known to him in a sexual manner.

Smit Vasantbhai Lanagariya, 21, is scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court at a later date to face one count of sexual assault.

It is important for victims of sexual assault to know that we are here to help. As part of our victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to sexualized violence, we work closely with victims and ensure their privacy is upheld and well-being is fully considered. We encourage anyone who has been sexually assaulted or harassed to reach out to police.

Source: Release