WOMEN living in Moss Vale have been asked to remain vigilant after it was claimed a sexual predator stealing ladies knickers is operating in the area.

Private investigator Peter Male says he has been asked to look into two sexual offences in recent weeks and fears many more have gone unreported due to the embarrassing nature of the incidents.

He is reluctant to name the street’s concerned, only revealing that both offences took place near the golf course in Moss Vale.

Concerned for the safety of women in the Southern Highlands, Mr Male is now encouraging any other victims who have experienced thefts to report them to the police.

As well as stealing women’s underwear from clotheslines, more worrying is evidence that the offender is entering the women’s homes and is highly skilled at doing so.

“From what I have been told, there is no entry point and it appears he is capable of lock picking doors.

“When he leaves, he has left the television on, and in one instance, he laid all the underwear out on display in the lounge.

“Victims are embarrassed to report the matters to the police because they feel nothing will be done”.

Mr Male, a former policeman and army specialist forces officer, who started Grace Investigative Group 18 months ago, said he was first alerted to the thefts when he received a telephone call from a man worried for the safety of his mother-in-law.

The caller said the thefts occurred three times in a row, each time when the woman was absent from the house.

“Originally, I thought it must have involved somebody with entry to the house and I asked him what other people had access.

“But when I received a report of a second offence involving a relative of mine, I realised there was something in it.

“The advice I gave the first caller was to change the locks and for the homeowner to change her daily routine, because somebody watching the house soon gets to know what time a person goes shopping every day”.

Mr Male said he was unwilling to come up with a profile for the offender, but did point out that the neatness of the offences probably ruled out teenagers.

Interestingly, both victims so far have involved women in their mid 50’s, he added.

A spokesman for the police said he was unaware of any recent offences in the Moss Vale area but encouraged any other women who have experienced thefts to come forward.