Man allegedly exposes himself to woman at Valencia Whole Foods, LA County deputies say

Los Angeles County deputies are searching for the man who allegedly exposed himself to a woman at a Whole Foods grocery store in Valencia last week. 

The suspect allegedly approached a woman, exposed himself and then touched her inappropriately, according to the LA County Sheriff's Department. Detectives said the woman was kneeling down and looking at items in one of the aisles when the man approached her.

Deputies described the suspect as a man in his 30s with black hair and brown eyes. He's roughly 6-foot-1 and weighs about 220 pounds. He was last seen wearing a denim shirt and jeans. 

In a statement, a Whole Foods spokesperson described the incident as deeply concerning and added that "the safety and wellbeing of our customers is our top priority."

Ellie Perico lives nearby and shops at the store. 

"That is alarming because if you're going to do that in public, in front of people, in front of cameras, you don't know what they're doing in private, in bathrooms, parks," Perico said. 

Perico said she's a retired law enforcement officer. She said even though a lot of first responders live in the community, she keeps a close eye on her kids, who are 12 and 17 years old, when they're out of the house.

"We always raise them to be hyper-aware," Perico said. "I think in a community like this, where people think it's so safe, you're not exposed to stuff like that. They're a little too trusting of people."

Deputies urged anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information on the case to contact Detective Hatami at (661) 260-4000, ext. 5620. 

Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact LA Crime Stoppers by calling (800) 222-8477 or visiting their website: lacrimestoppers.org.