PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Several Tampa Bay-area realtors have raised the alarm about a disturbing pattern involving a man they believe is targeting female agents during home showings in order to touch their feet.

They described his behavior as sexually inappropriate, and it has prompted an urgent call for increased safety measures.

More than half a dozen women have now come forward with similar accounts of encounters with the same man, whom 10 Tampa Bay is not identifying because he has not been arrested or charged.

They say he allegedly uses fake house tour bookings or drops in at open houses to get close to female agents, specifically, to make contact with their feet.

Angela Julian, a Pinellas County realtor, said the man told her there was an ant on her foot before bending down and grabbing her shoe.

“He bends down and starts unbuckling my shoe and caressing my foot, and I just thought that that was really weird,” Julian said. 

“At the same time, he’s fidgeting with his phone, petting my foot… I think he’s trying to take some type of video of my skirt. It was really alarming,” she said.

The unsettling interactions date back to at least July of last year in Pinellas County and have continued as recently as last week in Manatee County. More women are speaking out as word starts to spread about the encounters which have left many feeling violated and vulnerable.

“Very vulnerable — instantly you can sense that something’s not quite right, but you can’t really put your finger on it,” Julian added.

Les Hein, owner of Tampa Home Photos and a moderator for a local realtors’ group, says the man appears to be exploiting publicly available information to locate agents.

“He is searching Zillow, he’s using everything that everyone has public access to and that is concerning,” Hein said. 

He warned that open houses, where up to 30 people can attend with little to no vetting, make agents especially vulnerable.

Hein is now urging local agents to take proactive steps to protect themselves. 

“If you’re carrying a firearm, you need firearm safety and practice. It is not about buying a gun and thinking you’re going to be Annie Oakley. You’re more apt to get hurt than actually protect yourself in that situation,” he said.

Along with using a buddy system and never holding a showing or open house alone, Julian emphasized the need for basic protective tools.

“Have pepper spray or something you can grab in an emergency to protect yourself,” she said.

At least one incident was reported to Clearwater police in September. The department confirmed a similar complaint but noted that no charges were filed at the time. Law enforcement officials stress that safety comes first and have advised realtors that if someone behaves inappropriately or this particular individual shows up at their listing — get to safety immediately and call 911.

Local realtors are hoping the awareness will deter further incidents, and women realtors will recognize signs of suspicious behavior quickly enough to take action and avoid having a situation escalate.