Man banned from malls for photographing girls, women, police say

A 43-year-old Glendale man was banned from the Americana at Brand and Glendale Galleria malls after police say he was caught using his cellphone on Monday to photograph the backsides of girls and women.

Paul Martin Birkeland was arrested and released at the scene on suspicion of annoying children and photographing a person for sexual gratification without their consent after he allegedly admitted to masturbating to the images, according to police.

He could be arrested for trespassing if he is spotted at the malls again, according to Glendale police Sgt. Tom Lorenz.

Undercover officers first spotted Birkeland at about 2:50 p.m. standing at the Galleria’s center court, where he reportedly followed a woman up an escalator, pointed his cellphone camera at her rear end and apparently took a photograph up her shorts, according to police. She was not aware of the Birkeland’s actions, but an officer notified her.

Police reportedly continued to follow Birkeland as he went to the Americana and saw him point his cellphone camera at the rear ends of five unwitting women.

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