CONCORD, N.C. — A Belk store manager is facing charges for exposing and fondling himself in public. Police said the incident happened in Concord, and they have evidence an incident happened in his store as well.
Around 10 a.m. Wednesday, police said 46-year-old Chris Clark stripped naked. Someone who saw him called police, who said they caught Clark before he could put his clothes back on. They said he had a camera, on a tripod, next to him recording his actions. Police said Clark filmed himself on the balcony and lower level of the Speedway Plaza on Bruton Smith Boulevard.
"That's just very disturbing to know, with the mall and everything. There's lots of children and visitors and tourists," Matthew Teage said of the crowded area.
Police said it was even worse when they reviewed the video on Clark's camera. Clark was a store manager at a Belk in Lancaster. Police said the video showed him inside the store stripping and touching himself just outside of the view of his female employees.
"He's a manager and shouldn't do that," customer Nicole Threatt said. "He's supposed to be over the store, not doing things like that."
Belk sent Eyewitness News a statement: "Belk was shocked to learn of the charges and took immediate and appropriate action. Mr. Clark is no longer with the company."
Eyewitness News spoke with a woman who worked for Clark years ago, and she couldn't believe he could do that.
"He seemed normal. I never would have thought that at all," she said.
Channel 9 went to Clark's home, but no one answered the door. Arrest records showed Clark faced similar charges for exposing himself in Monroe back in 2009, but those charges were dismissed.
According to an arrest report, Clark said he thought what he was doing was OK because he didn't think he could be seen.