Philadelphia

Man Arrested for Allegedly Reaching Up Girl's Skirt in Tacony

Surveillance video from an auto body shop shows an unidentified man follow her and then reach up her skirt from behind.

What to Know

  • Police are searching for a man who was caught on video reaching up a girl’s skirt in the Tacony section of Philadelphia.
  • The girl was walking to school on the sidewalk along Longshore Avenue near Ditman Street around 8 a.m. Wednesday.
  • Surveillance video from an auto body shop shows an unidentified man follow her and then reach up her skirt from behind.

Police have arrested a man who was allegedly caught on video reaching up a girl’s skirt in the Tacony section of Philadelphia.

Joshua Periera-Lopez, 29, surrendered to police around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, mere hours after his face was plastered across the internet and television screens for allegedly reaching up the girl's skirt as she walked to school along Longshore Avenue near Ditman Street around 8 a.m. that same day.

Pereira Lopez was charged with indecent assault, terroristic threats and simple assault after surrendering at the Philadelphia Police Department's 25th District station, PPD Officer Eric McLaurin said. 

Surveillance video from an auto body shop shows Periera-Lopez allegedly following the girl and then reaching up her skirt from behind. The girl then appears to confront the man, who turns back around. The girl then runs off.

“If I would’ve saw him do that I would’ve went after him. That’s not right. You don’t do that to a kid. Or to anybody,” Lynne Bernatovich said.

The incident occurred about five blocks away from the Keystone Academy Charter School. The school sent letters to parents alerting them of the incident.

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Surveillance photo of the suspect. See larger photo here.
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