Masturbator in Yankees Hat Seen on RB Streets

A man in a New York Yankees hat has been seen quietly masturbating in front of Rancho Bernardo homes, then leaving when he notices someone is shocked, police said.

The latest incident was reported to have happened Tuesday morning on the 16700 block of Diego Drive, San Diego police Officer Susan Steffen said.

"He'll stand in front of a window and see a female on the inside and masturbate in front of the window until she sees him," Steffen said, adding that the man's genitalia is exposed during the act.

Four cases involving a man with the same description have been reported this year, with the last three all coming in the past three and a half weeks, Steffen said.

Though the man so far has not been aggressive, his apparent deliberate attempts to elicit shock in a public way could be a sign of danger, Steffen said.

If someone's in a mind-frame to go masturbate in public and enjoy the shock value, "It's always dangerous," Steffen said.

The man has been described as a clean cut, 18- to 25-year-old white male of average build, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10, with dark short hair and dark eyebrows. In three of the four cases, he was seen wearing a navy blue New York Yankees baseball hat with white lettering. Twice the hat was positioned forward; once it was backwards. Witnesses also said he was wearing a dark T-shirt and plain jeans or a hooded sweatshirt and jeans.

Steffen said no vehicle or bicycle was seen in any of the cases, so the suspect may have just been walking up and down the streets. The suspect is said to stand in open grassy areas, such as parts of Seven Oaks where fences do not separate yards, and masturbate in front of uncovered windows until a woman inside sees him, Steffen said.

Before Tuesday's incident, all previous cases had happened at night when it's easier to see inside a lit home without initially being noticed.

Police are asking for people to contact the department if they also were victims or witnesses, or if they know someone who may have been a victim.

If the person is still in the act on scene, residents should call 911. If he has recently gone, residents can call the San Diego Police Department's non-emergency number, which for North County residents is 858-484-3154. And if the incident isn't as recent, residents can call Detective Rena Hernandez, who is overseeing the cases, at 858-538-8045.

The department would like to send an officer to the scene in case there is any evidence left behind, Steffen said.

The officer recommends that locals, especially those whose homes overlook golf courses or other open areas, make sure they keep their windows locked and drapes drawn if they are just walking around their homes at night.

Also, don't be embarrassed to step forward if you've been a victim, she said.

"It's important that they call. We need to start documenting," she said, adding that the department only heard about these cases through word of mouth.

The four cases reported so far:

• Jan. 30: 16300 block of Avenida Venusto, 8:15 p.m.
• Aug. 22: 16800 block of Acena Drive, 10:40 p.m.
• Sep. 10: 12100 block of Rancho Bernardo Road, 11:15 p.m.
• Sep. 14: 16700 block of Diego Drive, 7:10 a.m.

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