RTV Channel 6 News


INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis police are looking for a man who was caught on surveillance video breaking into a west side day care and trying on girls' swimsuits.

The break-in happened Oct. 20 between 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. at the Kid Scape Day Care Center located in the 7000 block of West Washington Street.

Police said the man tried on various girls' swimsuits before walking around the building in a two-piece pink swimsuit.

He was inside for about 10 minutes before he jumped over the front counter and set off the motion detector alarm, police said.

"After setting off the alarm, the suspect jumps back over the counter, changes back into his original clothing and leaves the business prior to employees arriving to check the alarm," said Indianapolis police Officer Kendale Adams. "There were several items disturbed, but employees are unsure if anything has been taken."

Police said the man likely entered the business through a back window, RTV6's Derrik Thomas reported.

Kid Scape director Jaclyn White said the intruder had to be specifically searching for the suits.

"He found the bathing suits in the bathroom. They were spare bathing suits our children use for sprinkler day. They weren't too hard to find, but they weren't hidden," White said.

He was described as white or Hispanic and 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall with long, black hair in a pony tail.

"It certainly is troubling when you have someone who's trying on kids' bathing suits, doesn't take anything, that we're aware of," Adams said.

Some parents of the children said they believed the day care was safe because of the surveillance cameras.

"I chose this day care because I can come in here and watch each room and see what's going on. The cameras are everywhere. I feel safe," parent Shamekia Manuel said.

There are a total of 12 surveillance cameras that roll 24 hours a day.

Certified sexual addiction therapist Carol Juergensen-Sheets said from watching the surveillance video, she believes the intruder didn't necessarily seem to want to harm any children.

"(The intruder) has some sort of compulsive, obsessive interest in kids. Is he a pedophile? He's not necessarily. A good, thorough clinical sexual history would have to be taken. Is he dangerous? We don't know," Juergensen-Sheets said.