Crime & Safety

Man Caught After Exposing Himself in Several Towns, Police Say

Police say Eric Horstman, 39, struck once in Clark, exposing himself at the front window to Hand & Stone spa.

A Piscataway man who exposed himself and masturbated in front of women last month in Fanwood, Clark and elsewhere has been arrested, police said.

Eric Horstman, 39, of Piscataway, was arrested on Oct. 22 after Fanwood Police narrowed down the search by working with other towns where similar incidents occurred. 

Clark Police Chief Alan Scherb said Horstman struck once in Clark, exposing himself at the front window to Hand & Stone, a spa in the Target shopping complex, before running away. 

Fanwood Police Chief Richard Trigo said the two incidents in Fanwood occurred in close proximity on the night of Oct. 2. 

The first happened outside of Mara's Cafe on Martine and South avenues where two women were having coffee, police said. About 10 minutes later, the man approached another woman as she was walking on LaGrande Avenue near Helen Street, police said. Police searched for the man who fled on LaGrande Avenue, but didn't find him. 

"Working in conjunction with other towns, we were able to narrow down the suspect and brought him," Trigo said. Trigo said the man committed similar acts in Watchung and North Plainfield.

Fanwood Police charged Horstman with three counts of a lewd act. Clark Police also charged him with lewdness. Bail was set at $6,000. 

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