Jul 21, 2008 7:05 pm US/Eastern
Foot Fetish Bandit Striking Local Fitness Centers
Suspect May Be Responsible For Assaults At Other Gyms
WINDHAM, N.H. (WBZ) ―
A man who assaulted several women in Windham, New Hampshire fitness centers in recent weeks may be responsible for several more assaults in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
In separate incidents, three women in Windham say a man approached them, and asked for help with a karate move or massage technique. Then he allegedly grabbed their foot and put it on his groin.
Police say the man has an apparent foot fetish. "It's just something that he enjoys doing," said Windham Police Sgt. Mike Caron.
The Windham assaults occurred last week at the Yoga Sanctuary and earlier this month at the Windham Pilates Studio.
"Our concern is it's going to escalate," Caron said. "At this point it's minor in nature, but at some point is it going to go a little further."
"It's sad that you can't trust anybody anymore because of this foot fetish guy," said Patty Apkarin, who owns a health food store next door to Windham Pilates. "It's too bad that one guy has to take a small community and put all the women on alert."
Investigators have described the man as between 20 and 30-years-old with a blond 'crew cut'. He told at least one of the women his name was Derek.
Since Windham police made the assaults public, they have been getting calls from other towns and cities reporting similar assaults. Detectives tell WBZ that six women have called them to report a similar suspect. Those calls have come from Salem, N.H., Merrimack, N.H., Wakefield, Mass. and Worcester, Mass.
"So far we believe we've found a couple different places where they're probably the same individual," Caron said.
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