Police have increased patrols in East Lawrence in response to two reports of girls being approached and sexually harassed or touched by a stranger while walking to school.

A 12-year-old girl reported to a school resource officer Monday that a man had approached her about 7:40 a.m. Oct. 3 in the 1300 block of Connecticut Street and made “inappropriate suggestions” to her, according to Lawrence Police. A 15-year-old girl previously told police the same thing happened to her that morning in the same block, and that the man had touched her inappropriately.

The 15-year-old girl described the suspect as a white male, about 23 years old, 5 feet 9 inches and 160 pounds, with short light brown or dark blond hair, and a small goatee with a mustache. She said he was wearing a blue baseball cap with dark blue stripes and a logo on the front.

Police ask anyone with information to call the department at 841-7210 or the CrimeStoppers hot line at 843-TIPS.