Published: Saturday, August 19, 2006
City police look into report of exposure
GIRARD — City police are trying to determine if the same man is responsible for two separate acts of indecency.
Police reported that an 18-year-old Liberty Township woman and her 18-year-old friend were walking around the track at Girard High School stadium just past midnight Thursday when they noticed a man standing in the bleachers. As the women got closer they realized the man was nude and performing a sex act on himself.
The women ran to their nearby car and called police. Officers were unable to find the man.
Meanwhile, police are still investigating a similar episode that took place several weeks ago in Liberty Memorial Park. Then, two women and a 17-year-old girl went to the park to walk just after 9 p.m. When the three reached the park entrance, reports said, a man emerged from behind a bush naked, laughing and performing an sex act on himself.
The 17-year-old, reports said, ran away upon seeing the man, but one of the two women pulled out a cell phone and threatened to call police. The naked man ran off toward soccer fields in the park.
Girard detective John Norman said police believe the man seen in the stadium and the man at Liberty Park may be the same individual. Police, he said, are still investigating.
Advice
Norman said officers are unsure if the man is dangerous. The man reportedly attempted to touch one of the women in Liberty Park.
Norman offered some suggestions to residents, particularly women. One is to try to walk at earlier times of the day.
"Try to get your walk in early," he said. "Obviously, if you are going to walk late go with a group and not alone."
Norman also suggests that walkers, as an extra precaution, keep a can of Mace or keys ready in hand for defense purposes and have a cell phone ready to call police.
"We need to get the call right away," he said.
Norman said anyone confronted should scream to get attention, get to a safe place and remember where the man went and if he entered a particular vehicle.
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from vindyJOBS.com
