SPARTA — A 53-year-old Sparta man was arrested after he broke into a movie theater and was caught on a surveillance camera masturbating in a stairway of the building, police said.

Michael Shea forced open a locked back door at the American Place Sparta Theatre on Center Street, which was closed at the time, and went to a rear stairway and began masturbating, police said.

Shea was caught on a surveillance camera that was being viewed by a theater employee who was inside a theater office, police said.

Shea was arrested at 8:35 p.m. Sunday when he was seen by police walking away from the building. He was found in possession of several pieces of women’s undergarments, as well as pornographic material, police said.

Shea was charged with burglary, lewdness and disorderly conduct. He was being held in the Sussex County jail in lieu of $11,000 bail with no 10 percent option.

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