Colorless Green Ideas

Oh, Those Crazy Haligonians

Fake foot masseur on loose at Dal
By GREG MacVICAR

Dalhousie women should be suspicious if they're asked to have their feet rubbed for science.

"Security services has been advised that a male individual, who has no known affiliation with Dalhousie University, has approached a couple of women students, requesting that they assist him in a project he is undertaking by allowing him to massage their feet for the purpose of his research," Dal's chief of security, G.A. MacDonald, said in a Nov. 24 e-mail to students.

The security bulletin goes on to describe the man as "extremely convincing." It also says there have been allegations of sexual touching during the foot massages.

Sgt. Don Spicer, spokesman for Halifax Regional Police, could only confirm one such complaint.

"The only information I have is that at four in the afternoon, on the 20th of this month, there was a reported incident of a man convincing a female to allow him to provide her with a foot massage," said Sgt. Spicer. "During the foot massage, alleged sexual touching occurred."

He said the incident is alleged to have occurred at a Henry Street address.

MBA student Kia Pyrcz of Calgary said she had mixed feelings when she read the e-mail.

"On the one hand, he got consent but on the other hand, it was under false pretences," she said.

"I probably wouldn't be happy if he approached me, but there's false advertising everywhere," and students have to be aware of that, she said.

Sitting with Ms. Pyrcz in the noisy student union building were fellow MBA students Catherine Sun of Vancouver and Babur Yauz.

Ms. Sun hadn't read the bulletin but said there must be more to the story than students are being told.

"I think I'd be most suspicious about the source of the complaint," she said. "If a guy came up to me and asked to rub my feet, I'd say, '(Buzz) off.' "

The security bulletin described the man as black, about 20 years of age, about six feet tall and weighing about 200 pounds.

"At the present time, he has a goatee and has been known to wear a beige down-filled jacket and a ball cap," continued the bulletin. "Anyone being offered a foot massage by a stranger is encouraged to contact our investigators," Sgt. Spicer said.

As of 6 p.m., police had a suspect in mind, and officers were looking for him.

posted by Sylpheed @ 9:24 PM