‘It’s scary’: College students on 2 campuses now warned of potential serial groper

By Marlee Ginter

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    SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — A possible serial groper is causing concerns on college campuses.

College students at both Sacramento State and Cosumnes River College (CRC) are being warned to be on alert after multiple reports of a man on a bicycle inappropriately touching people and then taking off.

Tai Martin rides the light rail in South Sacramento all the time. She recognized the suspect in the picture we showed her but says she’s never had a problem with him.

Investigators say multiple people have described a man on a bicycle smacking their rear-end or even luring them into a conversation and then inappropriately groping them.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” said Martin.

Sacramento State Police first reported a man on March 2 with a purple backpack slapping a woman’s rear-end as he rode near the Riverfront Center.

Just days later, CRC campus police received a similar report by two female students in the F parking lot.

“So if they’re going to start off doing that, there’s no telling what they’re going to do next,” said bus rider Kay Rankin.

“Like you don’t know what can come from a person that behaves like that. It’s scary, especially for a woman,” said Jason Escalante of Sacramento.

Some notable details: the suspect has been seen wearing a purple backpack, a pink hoodie and riding the same blue cruiser-style bicycle.

Parents like Martin are now hoping the groping and grabbing don’t escalate to something worse, and they want students to be alert.

“They’re not very vigilant and there’s a lot going on around them, so we just have to help our daughters be more vigilant about what’s going on around them: the buses, the cars, who’s in them,” said Martin.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect is urged to call the Los Rios Police Department at (916) 558-2221.

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