COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A 35-year-old man is behind bars after police say he groped three women at three different businesses in a Cobb County shopping center, all within a span of 10 minutes.
Cobb County police identified the suspect as Orlandus Sims, 35, who is facing multiple charges in connection with the alleged assaults.
According to investigators, officers responded to a shopping center along the East-West Connector near Austell shortly after 7 p.m. on Oct. 14 following reports of a man inappropriately touching women at Panera Bread, Target and TJ Maxx.
Police say the first incident happened at Panera Bread, where a 29-year-old woman reported that she was sitting on a bench when a man approached her and grabbed and squeezed her breast.
Investigators say the suspect then went inside a nearby Target, where he grabbed a motorized shopping cart before approaching another woman and grabbing her buttocks.
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Police say the man then entered TJ Maxx, where he allegedly grabbed and squeezed a third woman’s buttocks.
The three women, ages 29, 35 and 45, told investigators the incidents happened within approximately 10 minutes of each other.
When officers arrived at the shopping center, police say Sims attempted to run but was quickly taken into custody.
Investigators say Sims managed to slip out of his handcuffs while being transported to jail, but officers quickly restrained him again.
Channel 2’s Michael Seiden returned to the shopping center Tuesday and spoke with shoppers who expressed concerns about their safety.
“It’s scary. You can’t go nowhere now. I mean, I have a 15-year-old daughter that I take shopping with me all the time,” shopper Sherry Downs told Seiden.
Downs said she makes a point to keep her daughter close whenever they go shopping together.
“I’m always looking around, looking over my shoulder. I don’t let my daughter walk off. I make her stay right with me,” Downs said.
Another shopper, Morgan Holbrook, said she also tries to remain aware of her surroundings.
“I try to stay looking around, making sure nobody’s like following me or stuff like that. I mean, I have had that happen,” Holbrook said.
Holbrook added that incidents like these leave her feeling less safe.
“Yeah, it doesn’t feel safe anymore,” she said.
Sims remains in the Cobb County Jail without bond as he faces multiple charges in connection with the alleged assaults.
The case remains under investigation.
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