Police: Be on lookout for man making lewd comments, gestures toward high school girls

ST. GEORGE – Two separate incidents over the last month involving a man making lewd comments and gestures to teenage girls as they walked to and from Pine View High School has led to police asking the public to be alert and on the lookout for the suspect involved.

St. George Police took to social media Friday afternoon to spread awareness of the incidents.

“The school resource officer for Pine View High School received two reports recently about a male who is getting out of his vehicle and catcalling, if you will, female students and making lewd gestures toward them,” St. George Police Officer Lona Trombley said. “When he does this he opens up the passenger door, as if he is inviting them in.”

The suspect is described as a white male in his late 20s to early 30s, and of average height and weight. He also drives a white, newer model pickup truck (make unknown) with a four-door cab.

The first time the incident was reported it was about 45 minutes afterward, Trombley said. The second report came in quicker, but in both cases the police were unable to locate the man involved.

Always call police when an incident like this occurs, Trombley said.

Don’t wait to process it or start to think it was “really no big deal.” Call 911 and let officers sort out the situation and hopefully make contact with the other party, she said.

Still, the call to police happens after the fact. What should high school students and others do when they are actually facing this kind of situation? Trombley gave some recommendations:

Never go toward their vehicle.

Do not go with someone you do not, or does not have permission from family members to take you somewhere.

If the person is making you feel threatened or intimidated, “get loud,” Trombey said. Scream, fight and runway.

Earlier this month a St. George teen screamed and fought off man who allegedly grabbed her and tried to pull her into his vehicle during an attempted kidnapping incident. Police advise others to do the same in similar situations.

Never let anyone force you to go or do anything that you do not feel comfortable with, or feel the situation is dangerous,” Trombley said.

As for parents, they are advised to take time to speak with their children and come up with a plan on how to react and where to seek safety if this happens to them.

For those individuals who somehow think this sort of action is funny, it’s no joke, Trombley said, especially when children are involved.

“People who go to high school – they’re still kids,” she said. “They are still our children. This is not appropriate behavior, or lawful behavior, when you are dealing with children.”

If you have any information regarding these or similar incidents, contact the St. George Police at 435-627-4300.

St. George Police posted on Facebook that they chose not to share the specific locations of where the incidents occurred “because we don’t want to limit people to looking in one specific area as he is mobile and could show up at any of our schools.”

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

 

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