Mountain Bike Groper Targets Women

A man with black, slick hair has been groping women while riding a mountain bike near Santa Monica Boulevard and Stanford Street, police said Wednesday.

Police believe one man—described as between 5 feet, 5 inches and 5 feet, 9 inches tall, with a medium to heavy build—is responsible for six attacks that started Jan. 5.

The womens' ages range between 16 and 57. They were each attacked in daylight.

"All of the incidents have been in close proximity to one another, and the suspect description in each incident is of a similar nature," a Santa Monica Police Department bulletin reads.

The bulletin includes a map pinpointing details about each of the gropings:

• 8:30 a.m. Jan. 27 in the 1300 block of Franklin Street
• 6:20 a.m. April 16 in the 1300 block of Stanford Street
• 2:26 p.m. Jan. 19 in the 2702 block of Broadway
• 2:20 p.m. Jan. 5 in the 1400 block of Stanford
• 3:15 p.m. Feb. 11 in the 3000 block of Broadway
• 8:50 a.m. Feb. 23 at Yale Street and Broadway

Police ask any victims who have not reported a sexual battery to contact the department at its 24/7 line at (310) 458-8495.

Anyone with information about the gropings is asked to call detective DeRyck at (310) 458-8944, Sgt. Jacob at (310) 458-8460 or the watch commander at (310) 458-8427.

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