Indecent exposure charge after Vancouver playground arrest [Video]

Vancouver police say they arrested a 43-year-old man who was spotted masturbating next to a school playground in East Vancouver Wednesday afternoon.

A concerned parent called 911 to report the suspect, the Vancouver Police Department said in a social media post Thursday, adding that the parent “did the right thing.”

“Patrol officers quickly responded and arrested the 43-year-old suspect,” the post reads. “He’s in custody awaiting court later today.”

Asked for more information about the case, VPD spokesperson Const. Tania Visintin told CTV News in an email that the incident occurred “around 3:30 p.m. on a playground where there were children present in the Killarney neighbourhood.”

She said police would not be sharing the name of the school.

The suspect has had “lots of interactions with police over the years,” Visintin said, adding that police have recommended a charge of indecent exposure to Crown counsel.