iPhone Theft Sting Ensnares Public Masturbator Instead

By Ashley Harrell Thu., Apr. 22 2010 at 6:30 PM

Categories: Crime, Local News, Science and Tech, Tech, WTF?, internets

On April 12, Officers Chris Oshita and Jaimie Hyun were almost certain they had a thief on their hands. As part of a sting operation meant to ensnare a serial iPhone thief, they had watched for a while as the suspect trailed a few female S.F. State students around the Park Merced area. He kept ducking and hiding when they turned to look at him.

Hyun, the female decoy, positioned herself where the suspect could see her, and eventually he approached, according to the report. Expecting that the suspect was going to try to steal from Hyun, the other officers prepared to move in, waiting for the signal that a robbery had taken place.

That's when the suspect exposed his penis and started masturbating. Appalled, the officers quickly arrested him.

He turned out to be an 18-year-old Park Merced man with no priors -- but he was carrying an illegal butterfly knife. The man admitted that it was his pastime to follow females around and masturbate in front of them. He had been doing so since November of last year, police said.

SF State had reports of such behavior, and their investigation continues. The man was booked on charges of public indecency and possession of a prohibited weapon (not his penis, but the knife).