Police caught a Kansas City, Kansas man allegedly touching himself in the parking lot of Von Maur on Tuesday.
Isaias Lopez-Brito needed an interpreter for his first court appearance on Wednesday but the accusation against him is clear-cut.
Around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday a loss prevention officer with Von Maur was driving in the parking lot looking for possible shoplifters, according to police.
Late Wednesday, the store manager for Van Maur at Corbin Park, Tessa Brown, refutes certain details in the police account telling 41 Action News their loss prevention officer caught Lopez-Brito committing the lewd act through surveillance cameras placed in the store's parking lot.
He quickly called police after he allegedly spotted Lopez-Brito exposing himself in his car.
"This parking lot is usually safe you know there's usually not any reason to be alarmed," Marie Johannsen, a Von Maur shopper said.
When Overland Park Police showed up they found the 39-year-old man with a bottle of coconut oil next to him. He admitted to officers that he was touching himself.
"I think it's awful you could at least go somewhere--some private place--I mean imagine if a mother or child walks by looks into the window, it's just horrible," Payton Holland, another shopper said.
At the court hearing, Lopez-Brito had the judge read the single charge, which drew some chuckles in the courtroom.
"It's kind of funny, but when you think about it in serious terms it's messed up," Holland said.
Lopez-Brito posted his $1,000 bond Wednesday afternoon but as he awaits trial, the judge told him he has to stay from any Von Maur store.
"He might be proud of it, it's kind of disgusting," Holland said.
According to crime maps, besides cases of shoplifting, the department store on W. 135th street hasn't had any type of lewd acts reported recently until this one.
Lopez-Brito's next court appearance is set for Dec. 15 at 9:30 a.m. in division 17.
Editor's note: This story was updated after Van Maur's store manager contacted 41 Action News with additional details about how Lopez-Brito came to the security officer's attention.
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Andres Gutierrez can be reached at andres.gutierrez@kshb.com
