Charges laid in southeast groping case

Police probe link to other cases

Calgary police have laid charges after a man on a bicycle allegedly groped two women on two separate occasions in the southeast.

In the first incident, a 42-year-old woman was walking in the area of 28th Street and 9th Avenue S.E. around 4 a.m. on July 10 when she was approached by a man riding a mountain bike.

As he rode by, he grabbed her breast, then rode off in an unknown direction, police said.

Then at around 1:30 a.m. on July 29, a 21-yearold woman was walking in the 800 block of 32nd Street S.E. when a man riding a bicycle and naked from the waist down approached her.

He circled her repeatedly before grabbing her arm, and rode off when the victim screamed, police said.

“He was in the area, he came across them, and I think it was a crime of opportunity,” said Acting Insp. Geoff Gawlinski.

He said the man didn’t know the women, who were not physically injured.

Following the two incidents, additional police resources were sent to the area, including plainclothes members and officers on bicycles.

Calgary Transit was also asked to look out for the offender.

Late Tuesday near Radcliffe Drive S.E., police in the area arrested a man matching the suspect’s description.

The man was not impaired when arrested and did not appear to have any mental health issues, Gawlinski said.

Glenn Stegemeier, 47, of Calgary has been charged with one count of sexual assault, one count of assault and one count of committing an indecent act in a public place.

He was previously known to police and has a history of similar incidents, Gawlinski said.

He made his first court appearance Thursday morning, and was remanded in custody. He is expected in court again on Tuesday.

Police are exploring whether he was involved in other groping cases around the city, said Gawlinski, adding investigators continue to follow leads in the series of recent groping incidents in the Erin Woods community.

“We take these things seriously and we’ll investigate them properly. Our concern is public safety and the prevention of future offences.”