ST. ANN • Earl Maxwell likes tattoos, police said. And legs.

At least four times, Maxwell, 51, tricked women at the town’s Shop ’n Save grocery into bending over, said St. Ann Police Chief Aaron Jimenez — whereupon Maxwell allegedly ran his hands down their thighs and legs.

St. Ann police arrested Maxwell on Monday. On Tuesday, he confessed, and the department filed third-degree assault charges, Jimenez said.

Maxwell had a pattern to the alleged ruse, police said. He’d drive to the store, at 10634 St. Charles Rock Road, park his truck around the side so no one could see it, scope out women inside the store and then approach them as they left.

As they walked out, Maxwell would tell them they had something on one of their legs, Jimenez said. And when the women bent down to inspect their legs, Maxwell would grope their legs — paying special attention to their tattoos.

Sometimes, if they didn’t hold the pose long enough, or dip low enough, Maxwell would encourage them: “He’d say, ‘No, a bit lower,’” Jimenez said.

Maxwell confessed to his tattoo and leg fetish, police said.

“People,” Jimenez said, “can feel safe now.”

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