A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of indecent behaviour towards a woman in Crawley.

Police have been investigating four reported cases in the playing fields in Northgate over the past three months.

The lead officer says they can’t confirm if all four incidents were the same person at the moment.

At 2.30am on 26 August a Broadfield resident heard tapping on her window, and saw a male right outside it, committing an indecent act before running away.

The incidents were:

At 7.50pm on 9 October at a Goffs Park address a woman resident heard tapping at her window and saw a male right outside, again acting indecently.

At 1.45pm on 29 October a male exposed himself to a woman walking through a wooded area at Northgate.

The latest happened at 9.30am on Thursday (9 November) when a male was seen acting indecently in playing fields at Northgate. When a woman passer-by challenged him he shouted at her before running off and then driving away in a car.

Investigator Dave Bell said: “It is possible that the same person is responsible for several if not all four incidents, although we cannot confirm that at this stage.

“They certainly caused great distress and offence to the women, and we need to find whoever is responsible.

“If you have any information that would assist the investigation or if you have witnessed such offending in Crawley recently, please contact us online or by calling 101, quoting reference 47170157011.”