Police Searching For Serial Groper In Long Beach
LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) — Police asked for the public's help Monday to identify a man who has been groping women as they walk at night in Long Beach.
Long Beach police say several women have reported being groped as they walk at night in the Belmont Heights neighborhood of Long Beach.
The most recent incident happened Friday at about 1:30 a.m., as a woman walked home in the area of Florida Street and Hermosa Avenue. Police say she was approached from behind and groped on the buttocks by a man on foot.
A little over a week earlier, on May 27 between the 8 and 11 p.m., four women in three separate incidents also reported being groped on the buttocks while walking in the general area of Redondo Avenue between Ocean Boulevard and 1st Street.
After each incident, the groper immediately walked away or ran off in a different direction.
Investigators say they believe they are looking for one serial groper, based on the suspect's description, the location and manner in which the crimes occurred and the age of the victims – who were all in their 20s.
The groper was described as a Hispanic man 25 to 35 years old, between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-8, 160 to 180 pounds, with a stocky or chunky build, black or brown 2-inch length hair, brown eyes and clean shaven.
Anyone with information about the suspect or the incidents can contact Long Beach police sex crimes Detective Luis Galvan at (562) 570-7368 or (562) 570-6711.
