Photo: Castanet Staff

A 32-year-old Fort St. John man has been arrested and remains in police custody after allegedly inviting several children to touch him for a sexual purpose on Saturday morning.

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on on Saturday, frontline officers from the Fort St. John RCMP were called to a park in the 11000-block of 96 Street in Fort St. John, for a report that a man had tried to solicit the sexual touching from two children in exchange for a video game card.

When police officers arrived at the scene, witnesses identified a man in a nearby vehicle. He was arrested without incident. He remains in police custody but has not yet been charged.

"While we are thankful to have received the quick report and were able to arrest this man at the scene, this is reminder to speak to your children about such incidents. The children in this case did exactly as we would ask, and that is to immediately tell a trusted adult," Sgt. Janelle Shoihet of the BC RCMP said in a press release.

Police are asking any other witnesses to come forward, as the investigation into this incident is ongoing.

Anyone who was a witness and has not already spoken with police is asked to contact the Fort. St. John RCMP detachment at 250-787-8140 and cite file 2021-5571.