Crime & Safety

Croton Police Charge Carmel Man with Public Lewdness

Croton police have received recent reports of suspicious men in silver cars.

Croton police have charged a 27-year-old man from Carmel, NY with public lewdness after he was reported to be masturbating as four high school girls walked by his car. 

Croton police got a call from a high school female, age 16, who said that she and three other girlfriends her age were walking on Maple Street alongside Dobbs Park on the afternoon of Oct. 5 when a man pulled over in front of them in his car and masturbated as they passed by. 

Police interviewed two of the four girls who confirmed this and provided more information. Sgt. John Nikitopoulos said the girls reported that the man said something to them that they couldn't understand and then drove off, going eastbound. 

The girls were able to get a license plate on the silver car, and police found the number to be legitimate and matching a car of that description. 

Police notified all area forces and traced the car down to Carmel, NY where they arrested a 27-year-old man on a charge of public lewdness, a misdemeanor. 

Nikitopoulos said the man could face further charges.

The man was arraigned and held at Westchester County Jail on $500 bail with an upcoming court date. 

Meanwhile, Croton police say they have received two other recent reports of a suspicious man in a silver car making local youths uncomfortable. However, the men in these incidents described as older and police have not made any connection between the cases.

On Sept. 30, a mother called police on behalf of her 10-year-old daughter and her daughter's friend who said they were walking on Cleveland Drive that afternoon when a man stopped them asking where the dead end of Cleveland Drive was.
They described the man as in his 50s with gray hair down to his ears in a silver car. Police went and found nothing in the area.

In another incident, two middle school aged boys reported that an older male driving a Silver Honda stopped and asked them if they needed a ride on Mt. Airy Road on Oct. 5. 

When the boys kept walking, the man beeped and yelled at them to come back, they told police.

Police said this occurred at the junction where East and West Mt. Airy Road meet and therefore it was in Cortlandt's jurisdiction and not Croton police.

Croton police notified New York State Police, who are investigating.

Croton Sgt. Nikitopoulos said the man arrested in connection with the high school girls was also driving a silver Honda but that this other driver was described as much older.

"We don't know if that was the same," Nikitopoulos said. 


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