A man has been exposing himself and taking pictures of his victims in the campus and Gahanna areas.
A total of seven occasions including four in Columbus and three in Gahanna have been reported. Two incidents in Gahanna have included two young female high school students.
Sherry Mercurio, spokeswoman for the Columbus Division of Police, said the last incident in the campus area occurred on July 3.
The series of incidents here in the campus area have occurred specifically between April and July 2002.
“One of the incidents here in Columbus actually involved the man pinching a girl as she was running away,” Mercurio said.
Lt. Jeff Spence of the Gahanna Police Department, said the first incident occurred in November 2001 near two apartment complexes located near the high school and municipal headquarters in Gahanna.
“The man actually made contact with two of the victims in Gahanna by grabbing them and holding them for a brief amount of time,” Spence said.
Spence and Mercurio said the incidents have not occurred in any specific pattern. Spence said he is very unpredictable.
No episodes were actually on Ohio State property, but instead on Indianola and 14th avenues, Spence said.
“One of the victims in Gahanna is familiar with photography and believes the naked man was using a digital camera,” Spence said.
Police described the man as a white male in his mid- 20s, with dark hair. He is completely naked except for wearing a ball cap and occasionally sunglasses.
“His behavior seems to be escalating and people should be aware of that,” Mercurio said. “People see this type of thing and immediately call their boyfriends or girlfriends instead of calling the police first. By the time the police get a call and get there, the suspect is gone.”
“People should be aware of their surroundings and as observant as possible,” Spence said.
This particular case was brought to the attention of the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, a non-profit organization, which listed this particular crime as the crime of the week.
Detective Tom Randle, coordinator for Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, said, “This case needs to be brought to the public’s attention because the suspect seems to be increasing his behavior by grabbing victims.”
“Crime Stoppers is offering up to $2,000 for any information received by July 25 that will lead to an arrest and indictment,” Randle said.
