News 8
Police seek suspect in string of movie theater gropings 
11:17 PM CDT on Tuesday, June 30, 2009
GRAPEVINE - Police are searching for the identity of a 40-year-old man accused of inappropriately touching young girls as they sat right next to their parents or friends at the Grapevine Tinseltown Theater.
Surveillance video at the theater captured images of a man who authorities said they believe has touched several young girls, including one as young as eight. Targeting girls inside the movie theater, the man's behavior and brashness has been escalating, police said.
"When something like that happens, it like stops you," said one targeted teen.
The teen said she was watching a movie with friends last year when the man walked in late, sat next to her and then touched her inappropriately.
"When it happened to me, I like moved around and thought, 'That is weird,' when I first recognized it," she said. "But, he didn't stop, and that's when I realized there was a problem and I told my friends we had to leave."
By the time help arrived, the man had already left. He is the same man police said is likely behind up to six attacks over the last year in the same theater.
The most recent incident happened Saturday. The man allegedly grabbed a 14-year-old girl's breasts during the film. His boldness has even shocked police.
"If he is confronted in any way, he will stand up and act like he has a phone call and exit the theater quickly," said Lt. Todd Dearing, Grapevine Police Department.
Police said in most cases, the girls were too confused or scared to report the incident immediately. Sometimes, the victims waited to make the reports after the movie ended.
"It is scary," the teen said. "You don't know what he is going to do."
The movie theater chain said these types of attacks are rare and insist their theaters are family friendly.
Police are searching for anyone with any information about the incidents or the suspect.
E-mail jbetz@wfaa.com
