LONDONDERRY — A Bayberry Lane man was arrested on indecent exposure and lewdness charges for touching himself as he watched neighborhood children, police said.
Michael Jones, 25, of 90 Bayberry Lane was arrested Thursday after witnesses told police they saw him standing in the woods watching two children walk to South School.
The children saw Jones and became frightened, according to a police affidavit.
Although officers initially could not find the suspect, they learned the witnesses were the same people who reported seeing Jones do the same thing two weeks earlier.
Jones was first questioned by police Oct. 21 when he was allegedly seen in the woods near apartments on Kendall Pond Road.
A man, later identified as Jones, fled when he was spotted by someone who yelled after seeing the suspect touch himself while children played nearby, police said. The witness then called police.
When police arrived, Officer Jason Archambault found Jones walking east on South Road near the Kendall Pond Road apartments, according to an affidavit.
Jones told Archambault he was just taking a walk and that he walks often. Archambault wrote in his affidavit that Jones seemed confused and told him at one point that he takes medication for schizophrenia.
Other witnesses also told police they saw Jones touching himself while watching children play.
Jones, who denied the accusation, was allowed to continue his walk because there was not enough evidence to arrest him, Archambault wrote in the affidavit.
A warrant was issued for Jones' arrest after the incident near South School and he was apprehended Thursday on four indecent exposure and lewdness charges.
Jones was held at the county jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail pending his arraignment, police said.
