York Regional Police say they are searching for two suspects in connection with the abduction of a woman in Wasaga Beach last month.
On Dec. 20, 2021, officers responded to a residence on King William Crescent, near Yonge Street and Bantry Avenue, in Richmond Hill for a call that a woman was assaulted in an underground parking garage.
"Essentially, two suspects got out of the vehicle, and they attacked the female victim. She was hit with a frying pan and the suspects got back into the vehicle and fled from the area," Const. Laura Nicolle said.
The woman sustained non-life threatening injuries and was taken to hospital.
Through their investigation, police determined that the suspect vehicle used in the assault had been stolen from the Finch Avenue and Don Mills Road area in Toronto.
The vehicle has since been recovered and police have released an image of it.
Both of the male suspects are described as between 25 to 30 years old.
One suspect is described as standing at six-foot-two, with a medium build and short, brown hair. He was wearing a surgical mask, a camo, puffed jacket and dark pants.
The other suspect is described as standing at five-foot-10, with a medium build, wearing a dark, hooded jacket and a surgical mask.
Police on Friday identified the victim in the incident as 37-year-old Elnaz Hajtamiri and confirmed that she is the same woman who was abducted from a residence in Wasaga Beach on Jan. 12.
"We do believe that this is linked to the abduction investigation that the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) is working on as it was involving the same victim," Nicolle said.
According to the OPP, Hajtamiri was taken from her residence on Trailwood Place by three male suspects wearing fake police uniforms.
The suspects attended the home and told Hajtamiri that they were there to arrest her. Police said she tried to call 9-1-1- but she was overpowered by the suspects who then abducted her.
On Friday, Devin Bains, the lawyer retained by Hajtamiri's family, said the suspects who took her have not yet been identified. He said the family is appealing to the suspects to let her go.
"They very much want Elnaz to come home," Bains told CTV News. "We have to maintain the hope of course that Elnaz is or is alive. There's no reason for us not to think so."
Police continue to ask anyone with information to contact York Regional Police at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7250 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.
