WINDHAM, N.H. — Police have stepped up patrols at two shopping plazas on Route 111 after two more women reported they were assaulted by the same man late Thursday afternoon.
Police believe the man who assaulted them is the same one who assaulted a woman at the Village Bean shopping plaza July 1. It is next to The Commons plaza, where Thursday's assault occurred, police Chief Gerald Lewis said.
In all three assaults, which were "sexual in nature," the man took hold of each woman's leg and placed her foot against his groin, Lewis said.
One of the women assaulted Thursday called police about a half-hour after it happened. She said the man approached her in the parking lot at The Commons plaza around 5:30 p.m. He told her he was starting a karate studio down the street and he offered to show her a karate move with her leg and foot. As he did, he grabbed the woman's foot and placed it against his groin.
When police went to the plaza, a female employee of the yoga studio there said a man with a similar description had assaulted her, Lewis said. The woman said the man entered the Yoga Sanctuary, identified himself as Derek, and asked for information about massages. While demonstrating a massage for him, he took her foot and placed it against his groin.
On July 1, police believe the same man entered Windham Pilates and Wellness Center at the Village Green shopping plaza about 7:30 p.m. He asked the lone female employee for information about the establishment. He said he was recovering from an injury, and when the woman showed him some stretching exercises, he put her foot against his groin.
The man is described as a white male with a medium build and short blond hair like a crew cut or military style, police said. The victims of Thursday's assaults said he was wearing a white T-shirt, black shoes and brown khaki pants.
Anyone with information about the man is asked to contact police at 603-434-5577. Lewis also is asking women to have someone accompany them on their way to their car in parking lots along Route 111, and any woman encountering any suspicious person is asked to call police immediately.
Employees and patrons at both shopping plazas have been alerted about the assaults, he said.
Police have stepped up patrols of both shopping plazas and the surrounding area.
"It certainly is unusual," Lewis said. "None of the women has been injured. We've interviewed a number of employees and patrons at both plazas. We've stepped up our patrols and we are monitoring the area."
No surrounding police departments have received reports of similar assaults, Lewis said.
