It’s illegal to walk into a department store, grab women’s clothing and other merchandise, masturbate on it all and then leave.
It might just be dumb to go back afterward.

That’s how police ended up finding and charging 20-year-old Joseph Eric Renno with open lewdness last week.

According to court records:

Renno, of the 300 block of W. Reliance Road in Franconia Township, was spotted taking magazines and clothes into a dressing room at the Wal-Mart off Route 309 in Richland Township on March 1.

The store’s loss prevention officer suspected he might be trying to steal things when he walked out of the dressing room a bit later without the merchandise.

She went to check the dressing room and found the magazines and a man’s shirt, plus panties and a bra. She also found a thick substance she believed to be semen on the items and the dressing room mirror.

The merchandise, valued at $36, was destroyed except for the shirt, which police kept as evidence.

Another Wal-Mart employee told police the man frequented the store; she knew him as ”Eric.” Employees promised to call police if the man returned.

He did last Friday.

Police went to the Wal-Mart when employees called, found Renno and took him to headquarters for questioning. He admitted masturbating on the mirror and the merchandise, police said.

Richland Police Chief Larry Cerami said there’s no evidence Renno planned to masturbate on more items when he returned to the store.

He declined to answer other questions about the case, including ones about Renno’s motive and which magazines he took to the dressing room.

”It’s quite an offensive case, and I think we ought to just let the system do what the system has to do at this point,” Cerami said.

In addition to open lewdness, Renno is charged with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief. He was released after he was charged. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 12, and a district judge could decide then if the case merits setting bail.

A woman who answered the phone at Renno’s house Wednesday afternoon hung up when a reporter asked to speak with him.

A manager at the Richland Wal-Mart referred questions about the incident to a corporate spokeswoman.

”Out of respect for our customers and associates, we certainly do not tolerate inappropriate behavior in our Wal-Mart locations,” spokeswoman Marisa Bluestone said, ”and we’ve worked closely with our local authorities to help capture this individual.”

This story was found on MCall.com