The Claremont Police Department has issued a release about a reported indecent exposure incident on the Pomona College campus shortly before midnight on Apr. 8.

A female Pitzer student was walking at the intersection of College Avenue and Sixth Street when the suspect pulled up in a car, exposing himself to the student. He was dressed only in a black shirt. As the student moved away, the suspect drove toward her and started to exit the vehicle. The student quickly left the area and alerted workers on campus, who called Campus Safety. It is unclear whether the student was alone.

The suspect, described as a 5-foot-6-inch heavyset Latino man between 20 and 30 years old, was not located. He had a beard and was driving an older sedan.

The incident has drawn mixed reactions from students at the Claremont Colleges. Some said they believe a flasher alone is generally harmless, but this suspect’s attempt to approach the student is cause for concern.

“I honestly wouldn’t be too threatened just by some creep with his hand in his pants, but if he was following her in his car, that just opens the door for so many other possibilities,” Cassidy Cavanah SC ’13 said. “That definitely makes me feel very unsafe...If you are kidnapped and forced into a car, your chances of survival drop significantly.”

Other students did not believe the incident was very serious.

“I don’t think it’s a big deal because several other students have been flashed by a guy wearing a shirt but no pants last year, and he was on foot,” Hsuanwei Fan PO ’12 said. “Since cars can’t really drive onto our campuses without causing drastic amounts of damage, I think it’s less threatening, since she was able to run away. It’s just strange that no one has been able to arrest this pants-less man.”

Lt. Dennis Smith of the Claremont Police Department advised students to walk in groups to avoid dangerous situations.

“The students should try to always have a buddy system when walking,” he said. “Safety in numbers is really true. It’s very rare that people like this will expose themselves to anybody other than somebody walking alone.”

He also encouraged students to use cell phones not only to call 911, but also to take photos of license plates or suspects.

“They should always keep their cell phones with them, because most cell phones have cameras now. They can take pictures of license plates or people, and that’s usually enough to scare these people away,” Smith said.