Mounties are trying to track down a man alleged to have sexually assaulted an elementary school student in Surrey’s Cloverdale neighbourhood Wednesday morning.

The 13-year-old said she was walking to Sunrise Ridge Elementary around 8:15 a.m. when a stranger stepped out of an SUV and approached her near 59 Avenue and 188 Street.

"The man asked her how old she was then touched her buttocks," Cpl. Scotty Schumann said in a news release. "The girl yelled at the man, ran to the school, and told staff right away."

RCMP officers were called to the school, but the suspect managed to flee before they arrived.

A witness told CTV News he watched the alleged attacker park at a wooded area near the school just moments before the incident. Neighbours said it's a popular drop-off spot for parents, and that dozens of kids use a path through the woods as a shortcut to Sunrise Ridge every day.

Troublingly, the suspect vehicle, described as a blue or green Honda CRV, is believed to have been spotted around the school on previous mornings as well.

Parents are being alerted about the situation in a letter from the Surrey School District, and anyone who thinks they saw the SUV is urged to contact police immediately.

"If you have seen this vehicle in the same area in the morning hours of school days, we want to hear from you right away," Schumann said. "Any information you have may help police identify the suspect in this assault."

The suspect is described as a 6' tall white man, 25 to 40 years old, who was wearing a blue sweater, khaki pants, glasses and a baseball cap.

Students are also being told to keep safe by avoiding lanes, forested and secluded areas on their way to school, to walk with friends and to always let someone know where they are going.

They should also phone if they are going to be delayed and trust their instincts and feelings, according to Mounties.

Anyone with information on Wednesday's sexual assault can contact the Surrey RCMP detachment at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS to remain anonymous.

With files from CTV Vancouver's David Molko