Police Seek Underwear and Cash Bandit

Orange County law enforcement agencies are stepping up their attempts to catch an armed robber who has been forcing women to remove their underwear. Officials say they fear that the man could turn violent.

Garden Grove Police Sgt. Phil Mason said the latest such robbery took place this week at a dress shop in that city.

As he has during most of the robberies, the bandit ordered the shopkeeper and four customers into a storage room at gunpoint and made them remove their underwear. He then performed sexual acts with the clothing before fleeing with the clothing and cash, Mason said.

Blamed in 25 Holdups

The robber is believed to have been involved in about 25 such incidents in Orange and Los Angeles counties since Aug. 17. Some of the other robberies have occurred in Fullerton, Anaheim, Santa Ana and Orange, Mason said.

Investigators are baffled by the man’s sexual motives, Mason said, which are usually associated with cat burglars who sneak into people’s homes, but not with armed robbers. He said police are fearful that the man may become violent if his victims refuse to do as he orders.

The man, who was photographed by a surveillance camera during an Aug. 23 robbery, is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighs about 170 pounds and has sandy blond hair. Anyone having information about the suspect is asked to call the Garden Grove Police Department at (714) 741-5704.