Sex criminal performing lewd acts in Tacoma stores
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TACOMA, Wash. -- Female business owners in Tacoma are using Facebook to warn each other about a sex criminal who's committing lewd acts inside their stores.
The man's modus operandi is to enter a store run by a woman and quietly knock merchandise to the ground. When the woman bends down to pick up the item, the man walks behind her and performs a lewd act.
It's difficult to imagine how a man could commit such crimes without his victims even being aware, but that's exactly what has happened at least three times in Tacoma.
"He would say, 'Can I see this?' And it's always at the bottom of a showcase or something that you had to move. So you would bend down and he would always be behind you, but never touch you," said one victim, who asked to remain anonymous.
Once he gets the woman to bend over, police say the man commits a lewd act and then walks out.
The owner of a Tacoma antique store who was victimized by the man had no idea anything had happened until a customer pointed it out.
"As I walked past, the gentleman goes, 'Ma'am, I don't know if you know it, but you have something all over your back,'" she said.
At least two victims have been exposed to bodily fluids so far, and Tacoma merchants want it to stop.
Sonja Silver is helping in that effort using a Facebook page called Shop Girl. About 50 female business owners use the site to exchange information and post pictures of suspected shoplifters in downtown Tacoma. Now they hope the page will help them catch the sex criminal.
"Get a picture of him. Call 911, you know. Watch where he goes, then call your neighbors," Silver said.
No one has been physically attacked so far, but victims say it could just be a matter of time before the crimes escalate.
"I felt so, you know, violated at that point. You're so angry. You're mad, you want to cry," said one of the victims.
Police say the man is black, stands at least 6-feet tall and is rail thin. He's in his late teens or early 20s and wears baggy pants. Investigators are now reviewing surveillance footage.
The man's modus operandi is to enter a store run by a woman and quietly knock merchandise to the ground. When the woman bends down to pick up the item, the man walks behind her and performs a lewd act.
It's difficult to imagine how a man could commit such crimes without his victims even being aware, but that's exactly what has happened at least three times in Tacoma.
"He would say, 'Can I see this?' And it's always at the bottom of a showcase or something that you had to move. So you would bend down and he would always be behind you, but never touch you," said one victim, who asked to remain anonymous.
Once he gets the woman to bend over, police say the man commits a lewd act and then walks out.
The owner of a Tacoma antique store who was victimized by the man had no idea anything had happened until a customer pointed it out.
"As I walked past, the gentleman goes, 'Ma'am, I don't know if you know it, but you have something all over your back,'" she said.
At least two victims have been exposed to bodily fluids so far, and Tacoma merchants want it to stop.
Sonja Silver is helping in that effort using a Facebook page called Shop Girl. About 50 female business owners use the site to exchange information and post pictures of suspected shoplifters in downtown Tacoma. Now they hope the page will help them catch the sex criminal.
"Get a picture of him. Call 911, you know. Watch where he goes, then call your neighbors," Silver said.
No one has been physically attacked so far, but victims say it could just be a matter of time before the crimes escalate.
"I felt so, you know, violated at that point. You're so angry. You're mad, you want to cry," said one of the victims.
Police say the man is black, stands at least 6-feet tall and is rail thin. He's in his late teens or early 20s and wears baggy pants. Investigators are now reviewing surveillance footage.
This guy is going to wind up raping someone. He needs to be caught and stopped before this gets any worse.
As the Hodetwins would say.. "Bustin all KINDZ a NUTZ!"
Tacoma never fails to disapoint.Â
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Interesting that none of them have security camera's installed in thier establishments. Â
Time for the business owners to set up a sting and sting this sicko where the sun don't shine!
Oh, no!
Could it be Sen. Menendez, Anthony Wiener, Bill Clinton, Bawney Fwank, Elliott Spitzer, John Edwards or Jim McGreevey are visiting Tacoma?
 @Attila None of these individuals is black, so the answer is obviously a big "no."
Thats'Â not as bad as the lewd acts performed by the seattle city council in their council room on the citizens
How does this guy manage to spill his goo in that short of time?? I mean how long can these woman possibly have their back to him? This story reminds me of the following video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLnWf1sQkjY&list=UU0yf3gy_gXecL2PsPbXj-Dg&index=1
one answer:Â a horse back kick to his groin...
THIS GUY IS WACKED BUT IT'S PRETTY FUNNY!
This almost made me throw up. Not as much as I'm shaking my head about how pathetic and stupid this guy is. What a sick creep!
Ladies time to arm yourself with some Bear Spray. Don't aim it at his face, aim it directly at his pathetic "weapon". He wants to play with himself, well let him have a bit of burning agony while he's at it!
She's got his DNA
"he's black...and wears baggy pants...."
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A rare sight in Tacoma. They should be able to find him right away.
When I have had to reach for low things with someone there, I am always aware of the awkward position bending over puts you in. That is why I squat while keeping them in my peripheral vision. Maybe too many instances of people copping a feel when I was younger at concerts and dancing, etc. I am always hyper-aware from those experiences. As a female you can not be too careful. Which is not to say these women are to blame, just that it is a good lesson to learn for safety.
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I also remember one summer my girlfriend and I were flashed 3 SEPARATE TIMES. One from the back of a van in a QFC parking lot, one while canoeing around by the UW, and one from a creep in his car who kept moving up the street and parking so we could see him; this was by Houghton Beach in Kirkland. Makes you you want to gag.
 @Thunder Situational awareness. Good job. Most people don't pay any attention to their surroundings.
That looks like it's down by the old Mecca porn theatre in Tacoma. Somewhat appropriate if true.
A lot of weird people out there. Not a big deal though. Just post pictures of the guy in the stores he's been going to. Somebody will knock him out and give him an attitude adjustment.
 @Blindman It doesn't mater if it's not a big deal... to you. It's not happening to you. But if it happens to someone, and it upsets them, then it IS a big deal, especially if his behavior escalates.
I'd need therapy for a very long time if some man came up behind me and spewed his DNA on me -- the thought makes me gag.
Could this be a hazing thing?Â
EW
Can we perhaps have a grownup re-write this, one mature enough to use words like semen and penis, instead of childishly avoiding the issue with non-descriptive nonsense like "performing a lewd act" that doesn't tell anything on its own?
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Obviously from the woman describing what her customer pointed out to her about having something all over her back, and another childishly vague reference to bodily fluids, this POS freak ejaculated onto his victims.Â
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And how is spraying semen on someone uninvited not considered a physical assault when spitting saliva is considered assault?Â
 @MargeGunderson Of course female flashing on the street and TV is no big deal?
 @contraryjim You are kidding, right???Â
this guy sounds like a total jack off
Just stake out Olympus Hotel until you see him.
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Your welcome.
How long before this psycho finally loses it altogether and tries to rape/kill a woman? Women be warned, arm yourselves and don't hesitate to take this guy out before he rapes/kills you.Â