A woman's Facebook post about actions of suspicious man goes viral

A Facebook post warning residents of a suspicious man on Bertling Street in Cape Girardeau was shared more than 200 times Saturday.

According to Jaimia Blue, while walking on Bertling Street as usual with her 15-year-old daughter at 8:30 p.m. Friday, a man exited a pickup truck parked in front of her on the side of the street.

As Blue and her daughter approached the truck, the man put on a pair of orange gloves, grabbed a brown cloth and began walking toward the two.

When the man approached, his truck began rolling down the street, causing him to return to it. That gave Blue enough time to flee with her daughter.

The two women ran on Bertling Street until it intersected with North Sprigg Street, then continued up North Sprigg Street.

Blue filed a police report and posted a warning on Facebook describing the suspicious person.

The post described the subject as a 6-foot-tall white man in his mid-40s to mid-50s with brown hair and bushy eyebrows, wearing an orange shirt and khaki shorts.

Cape Girardeau Police Department Sgt. Rick Schmitt described the vehicle as a blueish-silver, small-frame pickup truck.

Blue said she was unable to see the vehicle’s license-plate number before fleeing.

After Blue’s report, Cape Girardeau police searched for the man Friday night and on through the day Saturday, but no suspect was taken into custody.

Schmitt said Blue handled the situation well by staying aware of her surroundings and prioritizing her and her child’s safety.

“Anytime you’re out and about, like they did this morning, be aware of your surroundings,” Schmitt said. “They noticed somebody was following them, and they took the appropriate action, which is to get out of the area and call us.”

bmatthews@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3652

Pertinent address:

Bertling Street and North Sprigg Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.