Police: Man in Triangle grocery stores wasn't photographing kids
FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. (WTVD) -- UPDATE:
The mystery behind the suspicious man reportedly taking pictures of children inside Triangle-area grocery stores may be solved. And happily, it has a benign ending.
One of the complaints about a middle-aged man taking photos of children in stores came in to the Angier Police Department recently.
It involved an incident at a Food Lion. Lt. David Campbell of the Angier PD reviewed the in-store videos Tuesday.
Campbell noted the man in question taking photos had a Food Lion shirt on and was taking photos not of children -- but of end-cap store displays.
It turns out he works all of the Food Lions in the area, Campbell said, and he was doing his job by taking the photos.
The complainant in the Angier case had said her daughter said the man took a photo of her, raising the mother's concerns. However, the store video captured the incident, and Lt. Campbell said the video showed the man taking a photo of the end caps from behind where the girl was standing.
Lt. Campbell also talked to Capt. Adams with Fuquay-Varina Police on Tuesday, and law officers have determined this is probably just a misunderstanding.
Nevertheless, it's always a good idea to be aware of your children and their surroundings in public areas. And to notify authorities if you think you've witnessed suspicious behavior.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
The Fuquay-Varina Police Department is monitoring reports of a man acting suspiciously around children.
The department posted a warning on its Facebook page Tuesday after seeing numerous social media posts about a man who reportedly approached mothers with young children inside grocery stores, said he admired the child, and took photos of the children without permission.
He may have followed the mothers with children around in the stores and parking lots.
The man is described as white, around 50-60 years old, has glasses, and facial hair. He may be driving a blue Dodge truck.
"It's terrible. I can't imagine a man having a picture, taking a picture of my child and having it on his phone or, it's just scary," Jennifer Powell, a mother at a Fuquay-Varina grocery store, told ABC11. "I mean, what are his intentions?"
The Fuquay-Varina resident said she had just been looking at the Facebook post by the police department after seeing other social media posts and talking with other mothers about the mysterious man.
The alleged incidents mentioned on social media are said to have happened at two Fuquay-Varina grocery stores and one in the nearby Harnett County town of Angier.
Police are hoping that if the man surfaces again someone will call 911.
In the meantime anyone who has experienced a similar incident or may be able to identify the man is asked to call Fuquay-Varina police at (919)552-3191.
