Stratford police are investigating reports of two separate early morning attacks in the city.
Shortly before 3:30 am on Tuesday, police responded to a call from a person who had reportedly been chased by two men carrying knives. Police said two men had approached the complainant on West Gore Street near Dufferin Street and Railway Avenue. The two men allegedly confronted the victim about stealing a bike before both each man pulled out a knife. The complainant ran and hid in a nearby yard before calling 911.
Police described one of the suspects as an older man with gray hair who was riding a mountain bike with a mud flap. The other suspect was described as a younger man who was also riding a mountain bike. Both men were reported to be wearing gray T-shirts. Police were unable to locate either man during a search of the area.
Later Tuesday morning at 4:15 am, police received a call about an assault near the Downie Street bus depot. The complainant reported being attacked by five teenagers – four boys and a girl – after he tried to move a bike he found abandoned in the middle of Downie Street. The complainant was taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
All five teenagers were described at white. The girl was said to have been wearing a red shirt and one of the boys was reported to be wearing a dark-blue or black hoodie.
Police say they do not yet know whether these two attacks are connected. Anyone with information is asked to call Stratford police at 519-271-4141 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Homeowners or businesses with surveillance cameras in the area of either incident are asked to review their footage and report anything suspicious to the Stratford Police Service.