Orange County sheriff's investigators Wednesday asked for the public's help identifying a person seen opening water bottles in a store that authorities are concerned may have been tampered with.
The person began opening water bottles in an undisclosed store on the border of Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita about 2:30 p.m. Monday, according to Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
An employee spotted the man opening the water bottles and confronted him, prompting him to run out of the store and leave in a white sport utility vehicle, Braun said.
It is not clear if the person poisoned the water or put something else in the liquid, Braun said.
"The video is not conclusive in showing that to us," Braun said of surveillance video evidence.
Store employees removed about 10 cases or less of water as a precaution, Braun said.
The man is in his late 20s or early 30s and is about 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. He had a beard and was wearing a bright orange shirt with blue jeans.
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Anyone with information was asked to call sheriff's officials at 714-647-7000.
