Pembroke Pines police are asking for the public's help to identify a man they say groped a girl in the parking lot of a local Walmart in mid-March, then drove away before officers arrived. Investigators say the man walked up to the girl as she moved through the lot, grabbed her buttocks and took off, and detectives are now looking for tips to move the case forward.
According to Local 10, the incident happened on the afternoon of March 15 at the Walmart at 151 SW 184th Ave, just off Pines Boulevard. Police said the girl, whose age was not specified, was walking in the lot at about 1:20 p.m. when the suspect "approached her and grabbed her buttocks," then left in what officers described as a newer-model white Lexus TX. Anyone who recognizes the man was asked to call Pembroke Pines Police Sgt. Jason Palant at 954-743-1654, the department told the outlet.
Where It Happened
The Walmart Supercenter at 151 SW 184th Ave is the store named in the report, and Walmart lists the same address on its site. The lot sits just off Pines Boulevard near the SilverLakes shopping area, and multiple entrances and camera vantage points there may help detectives piece together what happened before and after the encounter.
Similar Incidents In The Area
Local outlets say this case fits into a string of reported lewd acts at malls and public lots in Broward County over recent years. For example, WSVN reported in 2022 on a man accused of exposing himself and groping a 10-year-old at Pembroke Lakes Mall, a case that drew attention to how prosecutors and judges handled bond and charges. Incidents like that have left many parents and shoppers more vigilant, officials and family members told reporters.
How To Help
Pembroke Pines officials ask anyone with information to contact the detective named in the bulletin, Sgt. Jason Palant at 954-743-1654, or to call the department's non-emergency line. The city's site lists the Pembroke Pines Police Department number as 954-431-2200 on the City of Pembroke Pines website, and 911 should be used for in-progress crimes or emergencies. Investigators say preserved video files or clear screenshots can be especially useful, so anyone who may have footage is urged to keep the original files and share them directly with detectives.
Legal Note
Police have not said whether charges have been filed in this case, and detectives must first identify a suspect before prosecutors decide on any potential counts. In a similar 2022 Pembroke Pines case, WSVN reported authorities charged a suspect with lewd and lascivious molestation and exposure, underscoring how prosecutors may use state statutes in comparable investigations.
