Deputies searching for mall peeper

BRANDON (FOX 13) - A female shopper at Westfield Brandon Mall found a man taking pictures of her in the women's dressing room of Sears last month.

He ran off once she started screaming.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is working to locate the suspect with the help of surveillance pictures from inside the store.

According to deputies, on January 10th, a 31-year-old woman was trying on pants in the Sears dressing room when she noticed someone holding an iPhone into her dressing room from beneath the partition.

"She started screaming, he ran out, she ran out behind him," said Debbie Carter, spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The woman found a store employee, who contacted authorities.

Upon reviewing the Sears surveillance cameras, female employees told deputies they recognized the man.

"He frequents the store quite a bit," said Carter, "Some of the female employees said that they actually felt uncomfortable around him, because they had caught him taking pictures of them in the store."

Shoppers, who just learned of the incident Monday, say it's shocking to know someone would commit such an act at a family-friendly mall.

"We've been coming here since growing up. My mom brought me here, and we've never heard anything. We don't hear about people stealing, violence going on, none of that at Brandon Mall," said Joshua Taylor.

The suspect is described as a white male, 6 feet, 200 lbs., with brown hair and a goatee.

He's believed to be between 25 to 35 years old.

Anyone who recognizes the man is urged to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477).