Philadelphia Police Searching For Suspect Caught On Camera Stalking Woman As She Walked Home In Olde Kensington
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police need your help finding a man who stalked a woman as she walked home in Olde Kensington. Police say the woman was able to get away and wasn't physically harmed.
The incident has many people startled.
It happened in broad daylight. People who live along Philip Street say they can't believe this happened.
"We kind of take it for granted because there's all these cameras and stuff. We don't think that this neighborhood that stuff like that could happen, but it definitely can happen here," said Nicole Gregory, who lives nearby.
People in Olde Kensington are on guard after a woman was stalked on her way home.
"It is totally scary. You have to be aware of your surroundings and people creep up on you when you least suspect it," Gregory said.
The incident happened just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Video shows the woman walking down the 1600 block of Philip Street and the man lurking behind her.
As she gets close to her doorway, the suspect approaches her. She then starts screaming as the suspect runs away.
"If this could happen at any given time of day, like we definitely have to be extra secure," said Yen Nguyen, who lives nearby.
"It's pretty brazen that this person would choose that time and with that degree of sunlight and ability to be detected," Philadelphia Police Capt. Sekou Kinebrew said.
Police say the woman was never touched by the suspect but the incident was filed as a harassment claim.
The suspect is described as being in his early 20s, 5-foot-10 and wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt with black Adidas sweatpants at the time of the incident. He was carrying a tan, leather backpack.
"You wouldn't think something like that would happen around here but you never know. You never know what could happen," Gregory said.
The Special Victims Unit, which handles sex crimes, is handling the case. If you recognize the man, you're asked to give them a call at 215-685-3252.
