Police in New York are searching for a man they say carried out a “sexually motivated” home invasion of an East Village apartment as the woman who lived there was sleeping in her bed.
“The New York City Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the whereabouts of the depicted individual in connection with a sexually motivated burglary,” the NYPD said in a press release.
The alleged incident happened on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at around 2:30 a.m., when the suspect illegally entered the East Village apartment.
According to the NYPD, the man pictured here broked into a woman’s East Village appointment while she slept and attempted to lie down in her bed next to her (via New York Police Dept.).
“Once inside, the individual attempted to lie down in the bed next to a 23-year-old female victim who was sleeping at the time,” the police statement said. “The victim was awakened by the individual, which caused him to flee the location on foot.”
No injuries were reported, police said.
The statement described the suspect as “a male with a dark complexion, 5′ 9″ tall, 170 lbs., wearing a blue hat, glasses, black hooded sweatshirt, black and white jacket, beige sweatpants, and light-colored shoes.”
Police are seeking the public’s help and urge anyone with information to make a confidential call to the city’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), or by visiting the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ and on Twitter @NYPDTips.
Neighborhood locals reportedly recognized the alleged burglar, according to a story from the New York Post.
“Sometimes [he] comes into my store,” said Bolbir Sing, 34, who works at a convenience store on the same street corner as the woman’s apartment and recognized the man as a customer and alleged thief. “Yes, he hangs out over there … sometimes he steals beer and candy.”
A woman identified as Kristen M., 51, who was walking with her German Shepherd Frank, called the incident “the scariest thing.”
“That’s why I have a dog!” she added, noting that the victim was “completely defenseless.”
“It wouldn’t matter if you had a gun or whatever, it doesn’t matter,” she also said.
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