Police: Suspect Preying On Women Exiting Cabs
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A warning for women from Philadelphia police: Beware of your surroundings.
Capt. John Darby with the Philadelphia Special Victims Unit said, "What we have is a male seemingly preying upon women."
Women, according to police, who are returning home from bars in a cab. Police say the suspect approached and attacked two women over the last two weekends including a 26-year-old on the 1600 block of Brandywine Street.
"She says he's very violent, threw her against a couple of cars parked there and once on the ground, he rapes her," Capt. Darby said.
Police say the Brandywine Street attack happened on Saturday, November 20 between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. According to police, the female victim was returning home from 17th & Chancellor Sts. via taxi cab. She got out of the cab, police say, and was walking to the door of her residence nearby, when an unknown male approached her from behind, struck in the back of the head, stating "give me your money." She punched the male and started to run. But police say the male chased her, grabbed her, forced her to the ground and raped her before running away eastbound towards Broad St. with $100 from her purse.
The victim described her attacker as a black male in his late 20s to early 30s, about 5'8" with a long beard.
The second victim, according to police, is a 25-year-old female who fell victim on Sunday, November 14 shortly after 4 a.m.
Police say she was returning home from 20th & Walnut Sts. via taxi cab. She asked the driver to drop her off at Broad Street and Fairmount Avenue. Police say she was walking northbound on Broad St. from Fairmount Ave. when an unknown male approached her and offered to show her a shortcut to her residence. At a vacant lot, police say, he forced her to the ground, choked her and then raped her before fleeing with $283 from her person. The victim in this case described her attacker as a black male in his mid 20s, 5'8", light complexion with a beard. He identified himself as "Darryl" or "Derrick."
In both cases, police say the victims were returning home from bars, by taxi cab, when approached by an unknown assailant. The offender, similarly described, approached the victims, used physical force, sexually assaulted them and fled with cash.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3251/3265 or 911.
Reported By: Elizabeth Hur, CBS 3
