ARLINGTON (WBAP/KLIF) – Police in North Texas are warning of a serial groper.
The Police Departments from Arlington, Haltom City, Euless, and Hurst are asking for tips in identifying a potential suspect that has assaulted and groped several jogging victims on multiple occasions. Based upon similarities in the jurisdictions, the suspect is described as an African-American male, 16-25 years old and between 5’8 to 5’10 inches tall.
Arlington investigators believe the first incident occurred on Friday August 17, 2018 in the 3800 block of Perkins Road around 5 p.m. A female victim was jogging when the male suspect approached the victim from behind and grabbed her wrist and assaulted her by touching her. The second incident in Arlington occurred on Saturday, August 25, 2018 in the 3800 block of Morris Drive around 8 a.m. The suspect approached the female victim from behind while she was jogging and assaulted her through touching her. The third incident in Arlington happened on Saturday, September 1, 2018 in the 4000 block of Perkins Road around 6:30 a.m. It was reported that the suspect approached the female victim from behind and assaulted the victim through touching and pushing the victim onto the ground before fleeing.
Police say that in each of the incidents, the victims were not hurt and the suspect ran away. Detectives believe that all the assaults appear to be sexually motivated. Investigators also believe the suspect is the same man related to similar offenses that occurred in Euless on August 26, in Hurst on August 29, and Haltom City on September 2, 2018.
“We believe the suspect is getting more aggressive with each incident,” said Arlington Police Lt. Chris Cook. “We believe things may be escalating which is scary to us.”
Anyone with any information that can help identify this suspect is asked to contact Arlington Detective Jenkins at 817.459.5305 or Tarrant County Crime Stoppers at 817.469.TIPS.