Serial Groper Returns, Detectives Suspect

A man groped a 21-year-old woman who as she walked into a Watsonville grocery earlier this month, and detectives suspect he may be the same assailant who groped more than 30 girls and women over the past two years.

The man was exiting La Princesa Market, 1260 Main St., around 8 p.m. on Oct. 20 when he reportedly groped the woman. He ran away was not located when officers canvassed the area. During the course of the investigation, officers got surveillance footage of the man exiting the store.

The Watsonville Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect in this case and therefore is releasing video footage of the suspect (the audio in the media file is not related this investigation).

The suspect is similar in description to the 30-plus cases reported to Watsonville police in 2010 and 2011. 

Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call the Investigations Bureau at 768-3350 or the Crime Tipline at 768-3544.