The Pocket Man
| Erik Andersen | |
|---|---|
| Born |
20 April 1952 Bergen, Norway |
| Other names | The Pocket Man |
| Occupation | Prisoner, former garage owner |
| Criminal penalty | Preventive detention with a term of 9 years |
| Criminal status | Convicted and serving prison sentence, incarcerated in Ila Prison |
| Conviction(s) | Child sexual abuse and rape |
Erik Andersen (born March 20, 1952), also referred to in the media as The Pocket Man (in Norwegian "Lommemannen"), is a convicted Norwegian child molester from Bergen. He was arrested in 2008, accused of molesting hundreds of children since 1976, and in 2010, he was convicted and sentenced to preventive detention with a term of 9 years, with the possibility of extension for as long as he is deemed a danger to society. He is currently serving his sentence in Ila Prison.
"The Pocket Man" was originally the name given by the Norwegian police and media to the then unidentified child molester. The man who has been at large since 1976, has been accused of committing sex crimes against minors throughout Southern Norway. "The Pocket Man" might have lured boys in numerous localities and has by the Police been characterized as a "dangerous serial criminal". The last known incident of the Pocket Man took place in Skjolden in Luster on June 14, 2006. The police have registered about 160 cases. The police allege that several occurrences also have not been reported. In August, 2009, the suspect was formally indicted and charged with 60 cases, including two cases of rape of small boys. He cannot be prosecuted for cases that are older than ten years. The suspect has admitted to involvement in 20 of the cases.
The identity of "The Pocket Man" was unknown to the police until, after several years of investigation, they identified a man from Bergen who was arrested and indicted as the perpetrator on January 11, 2008. The suspect remained anonymous until he was identified as Erik Andersen by Norway's largest daily Verdens Gang on August 22, 2009.
"The Pocket Man" was during one period of the investigations known as "The Bandage Man", first time in a case from Bergen in 1980. The police realized that this was the same offender in the autumn of 2007.
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