Police hunt man with face tattoo who 'performed sex act' on New York subway

Authorities say that the man touched himself for thirty minutes

Police have appealed for anyone who knows this man to contact them and assist them in their inquiries (NYPD)

New York Police have appealed for help in tracking down a man with a patriotic tattoo on his face, who is accused of performing a lewd act on the public subway.

The New York Police Department tweeted a picture of the man who they say is “wanted for public lewdness”. It depicts a man with his hand resting on his groin area, who bears the phrase ‘Team USA’ tattooed above his right eyebrow.

The NYPD wrote that the patriotic citizen is “not on our team”, before adding that owing to the inking the suspect “shouldn’t be too hard to spot”.

Authorities told local news outlet NBC New York that the accused: “was on a Manhattan-bound No.2 train at the President Street station in Brooklyn when he stuck his hands down his pants and began fondling himself while staring at a 29-year-old woman.

“The man continued to touch himself for about 30 minutes, and another straphanger [fellow passenger] snapped a photo of the alleged deviant.”

Anyone who recognises the man or knows of his whereabouts is asked to contact the NYPD.

Reports of sexual harassment and assault are increasing in the city. In the first half of this year, 1,203 such incidents were reported; an increase of 20 per cent from the same period during the previous year.