City of Takoma Park Police Department
● 7500 Maple Avenue ● Takoma Park, Md 20912
For more information contact:
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Catherine Plevy, 301/891.7142 or 240/338.2901
September 12, 2012, 2012 (2:14 p.m.)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Interim Chief Drew Tracy from the Takoma Park Police Department announces the arrest of Tapha Masai Nyang, 26, of Silver Spring, Maryland, for "Up-skirting," (videotaping up women’s’ skirts).
On August 15, 2012, at approximately 5:43 p.m., Takoma Park Police responded to the 6800 block of Eastern Avenue for a suspicious situation. The victim reported that while she was outside, a man approached her asking for directions to College Park. The victim recognized this individual as a person who approached her the previous day, between 7:15 – 7:45 p.m., at the Takoma metro station platform, also requesting directions. The victim indicated that on both days, the suspect’s actions were odd, as he kept brushing his backpack against her leg. She tried to put distance between herself and the suspect, but he continued his actions. During the encounter on August 14, the victim stated that once she boarded the metro train, the suspect continued to follow her, but when she arrived at her stop, the suspect stayed on the train. During the encounter on August 15, the suspect acknowledged having run into the victim the previous day. The suspect again began asking her for directions while continuing to be close to her with his backpack, brushing it against her leg. The victim then noticed that the suspect ‘s cell phone was recording underneath her skirt, through a hole in his backpack. The victim attempted to take the backpack from the suspect and it ripped. The suspect picked up the backpack and cell phone and fled on foot on Eastern Avenue towards New Hampshire Avenue. The victim notified police.
On September 4, 2012, Takoma Park Police received a call in reference to a suspicious black male carrying a black backpack and asking questions about directions to College Park. The description of the suspect by the victim matched previous calls for an individual videotaping up women’s’ skirts. A look-out was broadcast and the Metropolitan Police Department and the Takoma Park Police Department officers located the described black male at the Takoma Metro Station by the bus stop. One of the victim’s positively identified Nyang as being the person who previously approached her with the same method of operation of videotaping up skirts.
Nyang was arrested, charged accordingly and transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit.
Takoma Park Detectives believe that there are other possible victims; some may be minors. Detectives would like to hear from any other persons who may have had a similar encounter with this subject in the City of Takoma Park, Montgomery County or the District of Columbia.
Method of Operation: Nyang approaches his victims asking for directions, usually holding a folded map or bus timetable, or other papers, to draw attention away while he videotapes up victims’ skirts.
Anyone who has information about these crimes, or if you believe you have been a victim, please call Detective Joseph Butler at 301.891.7111 or the Takoma Park Police Department’s main number at 301.270.1100.
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