16 months later, Cardiff-By-The-Sea Flasher still at large and active
In December of 2012, the San Diego Sheriff”s office released a composite sketch of a man wanted for several indecent exposure incidents in the small town of Cardiff-By-The-Sea. He was never caught, and is thought to be up to it again, and in the same location.
Cardiff-By-The-Sea, also known as simply Cardiff, is a beach community on the Southern California coast just south of San Diego and is part of the city of Encinitas. It is known for great surfing, and when the tide is out, 50 yards of reefs that have great tide pools.
In December of 2012, the Sheriff’s Office alerted the public to at least three incidents of a man exposing himself to women at an apartment complex called Cardiff By The Sea Apartments, on Carol View Drive and Birmingham Drive. He was said to be a white man, about 25 to 30-years-old, with short, light brown hair. During those incidents he was described wearing only a hooded sweatshirt and naked from the waist down. He exposed himself to the victims while committing a “lewd act” upon himself. The suspect was never identified or captured, and in March of 2013 a new sketch was released, this time showing him with a light beard growth.
All of the known victims of the flasher have been in the Cardiff By The Sea apartments
A woman who lives at the Apartments in the same area reported an encounter with him just 2 days ago, at 2 am on Saturday. She saw him in a hallway as he emerged from an exit door that leads to a dark hillside. He was completely naked this time, except for socks and a hood over his head. He followed her through the lighted hallway of the apartment complex. As before, he was said to be engaging in a lewd act, and apparently wished his victim to witness him while he did it. He paced back and forth, and stood and watched as she fumbled for her keys and phone. He stayed until she got in the apartment, never showing any signs of running away once he was seen.
She believed that since he was naked, he could not have come from far away, and may in fact be a resident of the complex, and further speculated that he may even live on the bottom floor of the building she was accosted in. She further described him as very pale, about 6 feet tall and about 30 years or younger. He was of average weight, with darker body hair compared to his light skin.
According to Psychology Today, the acts of this man are symptoms of a psychiatric condition known as exhibitionism, under the category known as “paraphilias”, involving sexual activity with non-consenting or inappropriate partners. A person in this category is typically male, and exposes himself to a woman or girl who is an unsuspecting stranger. They usually desire no further contact with their victim, and the condition usually manifests itself before 18 years of age, and tapers off in later years. People with this condition rarely seek help on their own, and usually only get treatment after they have been caught. Though they usually don’t attack or assault their victims, the sight of them can be very frighting and disturbing.
The Sheriff’s department is seeking the public’s help in locating this man. Anyone who has any information, or may recognize him from the composite image/sketch, may contact the Sheriff’s non emergency line at 858-565-5200. People with info may also be eligible for a $1000 reward by calling Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477 or online at San Diego Crime Stoppers
