Clayhanger Common is lonely, as are the canals and many other places around Brownhills: Ladies, take care when out and about. Imagery from Apple Maps.

It’s my duty to share with you all the concerning news that there seems to be a man exposing himself to women around the canal towpaths and other parts of Brownhills, particularly in the areas of Clayhanger Common and Silver Street.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that it seems one man is fairly prolific –  several ladies have mentioned him on social media – West Midlands Police are aware and the incidents have been reported.

Please be aware that if you’re subject to this kind of crime, always call 999 not 101, as per police instructions. This man may be building up to something more serious. This behaviour needs to be stopped.

A lady reported the following yesterday morning, Monday 30th July 2018:

Please be careful when walking alone ladies.a man has just shown me his little fella on the canal towpath by the Canoe Centre, Brownhills.

I have reported him to police – approx 25 years old, brown tracksuit bottoms, dark cap and a small black man bag.

He was walking down towards pelsall way.

A second lady described what she feels is the same man who also exposed himself to her:

He’s around about 25ish, dark hair with a dark moustache, wears a baseball cap, has tattoos on both of his hands and on his neck.

I think that he works somewhere local to Brownhills as when I saw him again after he exposed himself at me he had a cap which said Stihl workwear on with high vis and green work protective trousers, which might indicate he does something to do with tree work maybe.

Please be on your guard ladies.

It seems the character in question may live or work locally.

Please be careful if you’re out and about in the area by yourself; even in the middle of the day parts of our area can be very isolated, so take care where you go alone.

If you or your children are subject to anything like this, please do contact the police. These types of offences can escalate, and the culprits need to be caught before they do more serious harm.

If you have any information related to this incident call Walsall Police on 101, or you may also speak to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The Police urge anyone who falls victim to such an indecent exposure to call 999 immediately.

Police Constable Richard Jackson, from Walsall Police, said: ‘Although this type of offence is rare, there are many parks and open spaces on the east side of Walsall that have historically attracted offenders.

‘They usually target women, often when they are alone in parks, canals or country tracks.

‘We take any such offences very seriously and saw five people arrested in 2012 when we set up an operation to reduce this kind of offending.’

Walsall Police have issued the following guidelines for the public if an offence occurs.

• Please phone 999 immediately! The Walsall Police plan involves an immediate response for officers to attend and try to capture the offender. Please do not wait until you get home.
• Try and get a good description of the offender, including detail of clothing. This is very valuable to police, and if the offender is in a vehicle, the registration number is also extremely important to help identify them. The make and model is also very useful.
• Details of where the offender was last seen, or last seen heading to is very valuable in assisting police to locate them quickly.
• Never put yourself at further risk to obtain these details, but if have seen them please commit them to memory, or write them down if you can. This information can then be passed straight out to officers via police radio to ensure that a meaningful search can take place straight away.

For advice on staying safe when out, visit: www.safer-streets.org