JUSTIN BARKER/Arizona Daily Wildcat Pedestrians walk through the Highland Avenue underpass last evening. Complaints have been filed about someone harassing women in the underpass late at night.

A simple walk between classes became a lesson in sexual harassment for three UA students Friday.

As they were walking south toward the Highland Tunnel underpass, a man standing at the bus stop above unzipped his pants and started grabbing his crotch yelling "I want to fuck you," and other obscenities.

One of those students, who requested to be identified as Mimi because the suspect is still at large, was later confronted by the man three hours later in the parking lot next to the same bus stop, 1395 E. Speedway Blvd. Just as earlier in the day, the man grabbed his crotch and yelled obscenities.

"I have the imprint of his face in my mind, unfortunately," she said. "I will always know what he looks like if he is caught."

With more than 25 reports of suspicious activity such as this one in the past week alone, UAPD is calling out to students to be alert while on campus.

Sgt. Eugene Mejia, UAPD spokesman, said filing reports of suspicious activity is an integral part of the police department's efforts to make campus safe.

"If everybody uses their powers that they have, their eyes and ears, to report suspicious activities on campus, it will make it a safer place for everyone," he said. "We rely heavily on people on campus when handling crime."

Mejia added that students do not need to worry about bothering the police when they call because these tips often help combat repeat offenders.

Proving the power of communication, Mimi said the man ran off when she took out her mobile phone. He hasn't been seen in the area since.

She reported the first event to the UAPD tip-line, 626-0066, thinking that it was a one-time occurrence. After the second time, she called 911 and filed a report with UAPD. The two other students that witnessed the act also filed reports.

Mimi said the man did not look like a transient. He was wearing a white T-shirt, khaki pants, sunglasses and was clean-shaven.

"I felt a little bit paranoid after the second time," she said. "He kind of looked like a bum, but I couldn't be sure."

Mejia said anybody that does not look like they belong on campus should be considered suspicious.

"Criminals operate everywhere," he said. "People that are on campus that do not have a legitimate purpose, especially after hours and in the residence halls, are the kinds of people that we can immediately remove."

Suspect descriptions are a very important part of the process. UAPD keeps a record of all suspicious people and crimes in order to identify trends.

Yesterday, UAPD reported multiple purse snatchings on and off campus. Although they do not have a sketch of the offender, they have used witnesses' reports to determine that the same man committed all the crimes.

Reporting a crime can be daunting, Mimi said. Some people might overlook incidents as one-time occurrences.

"Some people may feel ashamed," she said. "But there's nothing to be ashamed of. It's not your fault."

Mejia said UAPD often receives anonymous reports of suspicious activity. These reports are helpful he said, but only when a crime is actually witnessed by the police. When additional information is necessary for an arrest, somebody is needed to go to court and testify.

"We have to identify who the anonymous caller is to get their information," he said. "Otherwise, we can't charge (the suspect)."

If last Friday's suspect is caught, Mimi said she would do everything possible to see that he is punished.

"I don't want to see it happen to anybody else," she said.