Naked Burglar Lurking In Lakewood, Police Advise Locking Doors

LAKEWOOD, WA - Police are warning residents to be on the lookout for a registered sex offender who is breaking into homes around town in the nude. Police are warning residents to keep their doors and windows locked - even in the heat - until the suspect is captured.

Police first discovered the burglar's MO Wednesday at 8 a.m. when they responded to a home along 111th Street Southwest on a report of a naked man trying to enter a home. The naked burglar was scared away by neighbors who yelled at him.

Just before noon, police responded to a home in the same area on a report of a man who had entered a home, tried on some lingerie, and then left - wearing only a pair of black tennis shoes.

But later on, a Lakewood woman woke up to find a naked man standing over her bed wearing nothing but a condom and the woman's belt. He ran away when she confronted him.

Finally, at 2:45 p.m., a man matching the suspect's description was seen leaving an apartment along 111th Street Southwest after burglarizing it. He was, however, wearing clothes.

Police later connected Wednesday's incidents to an incident that occurred around midnight Tuesday: someone reported a naked man walking near the intersection of 108th and Lakeview. Police found what they described as his "camp" nearby.

Police have identified the suspect as a 53-year-old sex offender named Curtis Sell. He is already wanted for failing to register, but police are actively searching for him related to the burglaries.

"We are asking anyone who sees him to call 911 immediately," Lt. Chris Lawler said in a statement. "If anyone in the area comes home and finds an open door or window, please call 911 and we will respond to check the residence. Meanwhile, residents in the area are asked to keep an eye out for Sell and to do their best to secure their homes during this heat wave we are experiencing."

Image via Lakewood police