Rash of public masturbation incidents in Dearborn Heights have police on alert

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (FOX 2) - Three different guys in three different locations but the one common theme - they were all in Dearborn Heights the same week.

Police are leaning towards this not being a coincidence and that it could even be a social media challenge.

"The individual was found to be naked in his car, pleasuring himself in the parking lot," said Paul Vanderplow, Dearborn Heights police.

One incident was caught on camera.

"What the f*** is he doing," said the man recording the video.

"Anytime you get these reports of something very similar like this, yes, there is no coincidence," Vanderplow said.

When the guy on video was caught – he opened the door to his blue Honda CRV fully nude. It was in the parking lot of a school, OW Best Middle School on Sunday.

Harold Peagler and his dog Butkus walked in Hines Park near Telegraph Wednesday where one of the three men was caught in his car…door open, naked – masturbating on Monday.

"It sounds like one of those TikTok challenges," he said.

Investigators are actually looking into his theory that some kind of online forum – is encouraging guys to pleasure themselves specifically in Dearborn Heights.

One of the three has been arrested. A 45-year-old man was handling himself - a block from Annapolis High School last week caught with meth and cucumber – he’s now charged.

"I want to say we've been fortunate nobody has been victimized, our kids, but that's just by sheer luck," Vanderplow said. "And we don't like playing by sheer luck."

Its why Dearborn Heights police has ramped up patrols – since they noticed the trend.

"I have zero problem telling you that there are on unmarked units in these areas in some areas that we have some intel on and we're going to keep pursuing," he said.

Neighboring cities are on alert too to keep a heads up, for these sexual deviants.