March 5th Release    |     March 11th Release

With help from the public, and in particular the courage of the victim who came forward to the police with critical information, the Vancouver Police have now been able to recommend charges, which have now been laid, against a New Zealand national in relation to a March 4th Vancouver kidnapping in which a woman was tied up and dragged behind a moving van while attempting to escape.

On March 4th, at approximately 7:45 p.m., a man picked up a 42 year old woman from the Downtown Eastside and drove her to a secluded area, where it is alleged that he beat her and tied her up in a van, holding her against her will.

Approximately 30 minutes later, police received several 9-1-1 calls about a woman being dragged behind a white van on Clark Drive near E. 13th Avenue. The woman had managed to partially free herself and, fearing for her life, jumped from the van while it was in motion.

Police conducted an extensive search of the area but were unable to find the suspect or the van. The woman was taken to hospital by paramedics, where she was treated for a head injury and serious abrasions. She remained in hospital for seven days prior to being released and is currently recovering at home.

“We knew we had a particularly horrific case of kidnapping and we wanted to take every step possible to find the attacker,” said VPD Inspector Laurence Rankin. “So we made a public appeal for information or witnesses.”

Thanks to the tips received following a VPD media release on March 5th, police identified a person-of-interest early in the investigation. The investigative team involved the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Interpol and the New Zealand Police, and discovered the man was violating the Immigration Refugee Protection Act. He was arrested by Vancouver Police on March 9th on behalf of the CBSA, where he remained in custody.

“The first public appeal we made worked well but we still thought that there was more to the case and we knew that there were people out there who could help us, said Inspector Rankin.

On March 11th, police made another public appeal for information and released video of the van and a composite drawing of the suspect. Investigators believed there could be additional victims and hoped the appeal would encourage them to come forward. Tips following this second appeal resulted in additional evidence being recovered.

Michael Edward Farley, 39, of New Zealand, who entered Canada illegally using the assumed name of Robert James Clarke, has now been charged with:

  • aggravated sexual assault causing bodily harm
  • sexual assault
  • assault
  • kidnapping
  • overcoming resistance by choking to commit a sexual assault
  • overcoming resistance by choking to commit a kidnapping
  • administer noxious substance
  • uttering threats

On March 21st, Farley was arrested by the VPD and taken from CBSA custody. Once the criminal proceedings have completed, the immigration process will continue.

Farley remains in custody pending this morning’s appearance in Provincial Court.