Mar 5, 2008 6:44 pm US/Eastern
College Park Students Worried About Predator
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) ―
New attacks by a sex offender have police doing safety checks at off-campus student housing in College Park Wednesday. They tell
Suzanne Collins they also want witnesses who may have seen the groper, who slips into houses and attacks sleeping victims.
After two female students were sexually assaulted, there is heavy police presence at off-campus housing in College Park. The security inspections will hopefully prevent any more intruder attacks.
They're checking to make sure "that the windows are secured. We're also making recommendations for the bush levels, to keep them trim," said Detective Eric Freeman.
Since the fall of 2006, there have been about a dozen sex crimes involving what police think is the same suspect. He slips into homes, leaps in bed with female students and gropes or kisses them.
"We don't have a really good description of our suspect, beyond a college-age white male, 5'10", brown hair, medium build, which describes a good portion of the population in College Park," said Major Kevin Davis.
The groper hasn't struck since last September but then there were more attacks Saturday.
Police say in these two most recent attacks, they do not believe the assailant went in a window or door but instead went into two houses where parties were being held.
"For these girls having parties at their house, it's definitely a possibility that people come in and out. They don't know him. They could just pass out after a night of partying. Someone could creep in and it's definitely a possibility," said senior Caroline Aston.
Student landlord Lisa Miller says she's been working with police and trying to educate students on safety even before the latest strikes.
"There will always be issues like this, whether it's this one or another one. With that said, we need to do our part and we need to get students to do their part," Miller said.
Prince George's County Police say they want any students who may have seen the suspect but not reported it to please call them.
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