Two women report seeing a naked man fondling himself in the Heathwood and Shandon neighborhoods.
COLUMBIA (WACH)-- Two neighborhoods remain on edge after several reports of a naked man running around and fondling himself in front of women.
Columbia police are advising the Shandon and Heathwood communities to be on the look out for the suspect.
So far, two women have reported seeing the man in the mornings between 5:30 and 6:45, when many residents are jogging.
The victims tell police there have been four incidents since December, and that the suspect stays close to shrubbery and the road.
While the communities are rattled, some residents WACH FOX News spoke to Tuesday say they won’t let the man scare them from their neighborhoods.
Ethel Trapp is still walking her dog around the Heathwood neighborhood. “It’s nerve-wracking. But you become more careful and watch around you. That’s all you can do,” said Trapp.
Investigators say the suspect is a white male, between 40 and 50-years-old. He may be driving a silver Honda.
Police are urging residents to keep an eye out for the man. “We certainly don’t want this to escalate to something violent,” said department spokesperson Jennifer Timmons. “We don’t want anybody to approach him. We’d rather them just call the police and notify us right away.”
If you have any information on who this man is, police ask that you call crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
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