Palo Alto Bathroom Peeper Sought: Cops

PALO ALTO, CA — Authorities are asking for the public’s help locating a peeping suspect, Palo Alto police said.

Police released photos of the suspect, who is wanted in connection with a late Monday afternoon incident at at Verve Coffee Roasters at 162 University Avenue, police said.

The suspect entered a women’s restroom at the downtown coffee shop and looked under the stall divider at an adult woman using the toilet, police said.

The incident was reported at around 4:45 p.m. by the victim, a woman in her 20’s police said.

The victim said the man peered at her from under the bathroom stall divider, and he fled when the victim yelled and ran out of the restroom, police said.

Responding officers could not locate the suspect, police said.

The suspect was at the counter ordering coffee when the victim entered the women’s restroom, police said.

She was using the toilet when she heard someone enter the stall next to her, police said.

Then she noticed the person appeared to be wearing men’s shoes, police said.

“As she stood up from the toilet, she looked behind her and noticed the suspect’s head underneath the stall looking in her direction,” police said. “She screamed at the man and ran out of the restroom.”

The suspect is described as a thin 5-foot-11 male with short, spiked hair, who appeared to be of Indian descent, police said.

He was wearing a black jacket with a small white logo on the chest, dark-colored jeans, black running shoes, and had a black backpack, police said.

No similar crimes in Palo Alto have been reported recently, police said.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to the Palo Alto Police Department’s 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.