Police Search For Man Who Allegedly Exposed Himself To Girl In Shrewsbury Store

SHREWSBURY (CBS) - Shrewsbury police are trying to identify a man who allegedly exposed himself to a 12-year-old girl inside the local Christmas Tree Shop.

The girl's mother, Tracy Dirinzo, says they were near the front of the store purchasing some items when he approached her not once, but three times during a busy day of holiday shopping. "It's very brazen for someone to not only do it, but do it three times," she tells WBZ-TV.

Police are working to find his image from surveillance footage, and there's a clear warning posted on the store that all shoppers are being watched. But Dirinzo says the eyes on her daughter is a lesson for all parents. "That's what is mind boggling. So many people are busy and caught up in the moment, not paying attention to what's going on around them."

Dirinzo says her daughter was so traumatized it took a couple of hours for her to describe what she saw. They immediately contacted Shrewsbury police, now hoping to identify the man in his 40's with short spiked hair, 5'11" with medium build, wearing a plaid shirt and khaki pants. The 12-year-old was able to give police a detailed description of the suspect to match any surveillance footage.

Her mother credits a self-defense class her daughter took with giving her a heightened sense of awareness. "She was a little freaked out, but good about being able to remember what he was wearing and what he looked like." For this mother it's a cautionary tale of what can happen in a matter of minutes.