PEABODY — A New York man is being held on $10,000 cash bail after allegedly grabbing and pulling on the waistband of a 10-year-old boy's pants in a Northshore Mall restroom Thursday.

Kuokwing Wu, 59, of Brooklyn, an employee at a restaurant in the mall's food court, is facing a charge of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.

The boy and his 13-year-old brother, who were at the mall with their mother, went into the men's room near the food court together, according to a police report. As they were washing their hands, the man, later identified as Wu, reached over to use the soap dispenser in front of the boys, saying the one near him was empty.

Then, as the boys went to the hand dryer, Wu stood next to them, reached over and lifted the younger boy's shirt with one hand while pulling on the elastic waistband of his shorts with the other, about 8 to 10 inches, according to police.

The boys said he was laughing as he did this.

They told their mother immediately, and she approached mall security, who called the police. The boys told police that the man looked like someone they had seen working at Umi, one of the restaurants in the food court, according to the police report.

Wu, who fit the description given by the boys, was brought out to the front of the restaurant, and the boys identified him as the man they had seen in the men's room.

A fellow employee interpreted for Wu as police questioned him. "Wu allegedly told police he touched the boy's hand to move it out of the way and that he had lifted his shirt because it was wet and he wanted to show him.

The boys said the shirt was not wet.

Wu apologized twice as he was being questioned.

Peabody District Court prosecutor Ashlee Logan asked for $10,000 cash bail, citing Wu's out-of-state address and a pending criminal case in New York.

A lawyer appointed to represent Wu yesterday urged the judge to release him.

Judge Robert Brennan went along with Logan's request, setting $10,000 cash bail. If he makes that bail, he was ordered to stay away from the boys and from the mall.