Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man who has been exposing himself to unsuspecting pedestrians in Moorpark in recent weeks.

"So far we've had three reports of a male suspect in a vehicle who has approached women of all ages in the same general area of Tierra Rejada Road and Mountain Trail at the same time of day, between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m." said Capt. Ron Nelson of the Moorpark Police.

The first report was filed in July and two individuals came forward with similar details this month, but police believe additional incidents may have gone unreported.

The suspect is described as a slender-built Hispanic or Filipino male in his 20s to 40s. He drives a small black SUV and has exposed himself to women between the ages of 14 and 54.

"He basically pulls up to pedestrians in his car and gets their attention by asking for directions and then exposes himself to them," Nelson said.

Police are asking the public to be cautious about this type of activity, especially when kids are involved.

"We're trying to get help to identify this person," Nelson said.

After learning about the occurrences, Moorpark Unified School District used its phone network to inform parents.

School Superintendent Ellen Smith encouraged families to take time to discuss what children should do if they're approached by a stranger. She also suggested that any suspicious activity should be reported to police immediately by dialing 911.

Moorpark Police sent out email messages via its new crime-alert system, called City Watch, to advise residents about the recent incidents.

The alerts not only are helpful in keeping people safe but are useful in gathering information from the public. They also prevent misinformation from circulating and causing panic, Nelson said.

The e-mail messages have worked well in cities such as Thousand Oaks, the captain said. It was Senior Dep. Joe Evans, the head of Thousand Oaks' Crime Prevention Unit, who started City Watch several years ago.

Other cities, including Camarillo, have launched their own programs based on the Thousand Oaks model.

Local residents who sign up for the free program receive emails about citywide crime trends and crime statistics as well as crime issues specific to their neighborhood. The emails also include police media releases, according to Dep. Robert Berger.

Those interested in signing up for City Watch should e-mail their name, address and phone number to mprkcity.watch@ventura.org.

Anyone with information about the exposure case can call the Moorpark Police at (805) 532-2700.