Obscene pictures left on cars at mall

Keith Paul

Thursday, Dec. 23, 1999 | 11:11 a.m.

A woman leaving Meadows Mall Wednesday afternoon found pictures of a man's genitalia left on her car -- the 10th such incident at the mall's parking lot reported to Metro Police since 1997.

In the nine other times, a Polaroid photo of the man's genitalia was left on the women's cars, but on Wednesday photo copies of pictures were left on a woman's car, Metro sexual assault Detective Michael Castaneda said.

"It appears he targets females (who come to the mall alone) and watches them exit their vehicles and places the item on the windshield," Castaneda said. "We don't know if he stays there to see their expressions or if he leaves the area."

The man has not approached or assaulted any of the women, police said.

The first nine incidents are believe to be work of one man. Police are trying to determine if Wednesday's incident is connected. Before Wednesday, the last time a woman reported finding the pictures on her car was in January, Castaneda said.

Mall officials say they are aware of the incidents and have been working with police to catch the man responsible.

"Our security has come close (to catching him) on two occasions only to find we just missed him," mall general manager Frank Wheat said. "It's not like we're not staying on top of it."

Castaneda said he knows of no other location that has had a series of similar incidents recently. He said there are occasionally pictures of male genitalia left in apartment complex laundry rooms.

"I think he is just concentrating on (Meadows Mall). He might work or live near by," Castaneda said.

The mall has eight security cameras watching over the parking lots along with security officers in a Jeep and on bikes patrolling the area, Wheat said.

The problem in catching this man is there are so many cars and he could easily drive up to a woman's car, put the picture on her windshield and drive off without anyone noticing anything, officials said.

Police are unsure if the man will ever go beyond just putting pictures on the cars.

"He could be extremely dangerous and might decide to act out some kind of fantasy of his," Castaneda said. "Or this (leaving pictures for the women to find) may be the way he amuses himself or sexually gratifies himself.

"It is very doubtful that he would follow anyone. He would have done it by now," he said.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Metro sex assault unit at 229-3421 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.