PITTSBURGH -- Police are on the lookout for one or more suspects in a series of groping incidents near local schools.

Parents in the Allentown and Squirrel Hill sections of Pittsburgh are on alert following reports of men rubbing up against young female students on the streets.

Two fifth-graders at Minadeo Elementary School in Squirrel Hill reported that a man rubbed up against their buttocks at the corner of Lilac and Saline streets after school at about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday.

"It's scary, because it's a problem with people, and it's always out there," said Squirrel Hill parent Michelle Ambrogio.

One day earlier, a similar report was made by a 10-year-old Minadeo student near the corner of Shady Avenue and Caton Street in Squirrel Hill. Pittsburgh police said that happened at about 8:45 a.m. Monday.

Also on Monday morning, a 7-year-old girl said she was touched on the buttocks at the corner of Allen and McClain streets in Allentown while she was on her way to school at about 8 a.m.

In all cases, the suspect was described as a white man.

In the Allentown case, he was about 20 years old, wearing shorts and a white T-shirt.

In the Monday Squirrel Hill incident, he had dark hair and was wearing baggy jeans and a long T-shirt.

And in the Tuesday Squirrel Hill incident, he was about 5 feet 8 inches and 130 pounds, with spiked hair, wearing a long, orange-and-white T-shirt and brown sweatpants.

"This person has a problem," said City Council President Doug Shields. "This person needs to get help, and I'd like them to consider making a call to someone and getting someone turned in."

Minadeo Principal Glory Getty sent a letter to parents, informing them of the reported incidents and telling them that city police were investigating along with school police.

City police detectives from the sex assault unit are trying to determine if the cases are connected.

They're also comparing the Squirrel Hill reports to an incident in the same area in February, when two 7-year-old girls said a man tried to pull down their skirts on Hobart Street.

"My message to this person is turn yourself in before you really cross the line and do something far worse than what's been done already," said Shields.

Some parents are reiterating safety to their children.

"They're supposed to tell me everything," said parent Gary Nichols. "Children often don't. But while they're little now, I'm putting it in their head to tell me everything."

"Just to avoid anybody that would approach them, especially right now," said Schlereth. "So, they don't have to worry about being rude. They don't have to worry about anything. Just to stay away from them."

Minadeo school officials had extra security in place before the start of classes on Wednesday.

In the meantime, police have turned up patrols with uniformed and undercover officers.

They're also in the process of interviewing the children approached by the unknown predator, trying to build a composite sketch.

"To get an accurate description, so we can put a composite together and put it out there," said Maurita Bryant of the Pittsburgh Police Department.

Police have released composite sketches of the suspects.

The man on the left is suspected of touching young girls inappropriately in Allentown, near Grandview Elementary school.

The man on the right is wanted for assault in a series of incidents in Squirrel Hill.

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