Police search for man accused of committing lewd act in Upper Deerfield Township

UPPER DEERFIELD, N.J. - New Jersey State Police are asking for the public's help finding a man accused of committing a lewd act in front of a woman outside of a department store in Cumberland County.

"It's a shame that they do all this. It's a shame they take it this far," said Stephanie Greco. Police said a man captured on surveillance footage is a suspect in a lewd act that occurred in the parking lot of Carll's Corner Shopping Center in Upper Deerfield.

"I work in one of the stores there and I know people have been leery to go outside. They’ve been cautious," said Greco. She works near the Peebles department store on Cornwell Drive, where cameras captured the suspect.

She said a lot of people are talking about it.

"We've all seen that guy around here. He not only does Peebles but he hits up and down the aisles there at the strip mall there," said Greco.

Police said in a Facebook post that around 4 p.m. on Jan. 1, the suspect followed a woman inside Peebles, then left a short time later without buying anything.

Police said while walking back to her car, the woman said she saw the man performing a lewd sexual act inside of the car parked next to her.

"It is terrible. I can't believe it," the woman told FOX 29, adding that she's on the lookout wherever she goes.

"We do have to be careful. We can't even walk in the park sometimes," she said.

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The strip mall only has a few stores, so residents explained there isn't much activity in the parking lot. A sign outside Peebles states the store is closing for good in four days.

"All of the little strip mall stores they're all closed down so yeah it's not a lot of traffic over there," said John Jay. He says he'll make sure to tell his loved ones to look out for the guy.

Police said the suspect was last seen in a light blue or silver sedan.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper Bruce Murphy, of Bridgeton Station, at 856-451-0101.

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