Nov 3, 2009 6:15 am US/Eastern
Baltimore Police Investigate 2 Rapes
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Police are stepping up patrols, fearing there could be a serial rapist on the loose after two violent attacks in less than 48 hours.
CBS
Police are stepping up patrols, fearing there could be a serial rapist on the loose after two violent attacks in less than 48 hours.
Andrea Fujii explains the rapist may be targeting women at bus stops.
Baltimore City police say a man is dragging females to secluded spots to beat and rape them. He's finding them alone at bus stops early in the morning. The first victim, who is in her 20s, tells police she was grabbed at a Harford Avenue stop, then taken to a grassy, dark spot to be assaulted.
"We've actually started traffic checkpoints in the area of Harford Avenue just to get information and to put this out there. We don't want this guy to strike again," said Anthony Guglielmi, Baltimore City police spokesperson.
Then, on Saturday morning, police say the same man took a second victim from Colvin Street to an abandoned lot where he attacked and raped her.
"Them talking about this stop is probably because there's not too much lighting and there's not too much traffic around here," said Sean Stroud, who uses the bus system.
"I had no clue that this was going on," said Kristen Adkins. "Kind of nervous to be here now. Oh my God, I had no clue of this. Now that I know that, I won't be here anymore. I guess I'll have to get off somewhere else and go home."
Police don't have much of a description but are scouring the neighborhood for more information and hoping the hospitalized victims can describe the attacker. Police urge women to stay out of dimly-lit areas and be aware of their surroundings.
"I try to stay with people and I try to keep my phone on and try to talk on my phone the whole time I'm out and about. But that really isn't going to do much," Adkins said.
"It's Baltimore. You know, there's a known high rate of crime anyway. That's why I'm used to it," said Darryl Allen.
Police do have DNA evidence from the rape victims. The lab work has been labeled a top priority, but the results could take several weeks.
Anyone with information on these attacks is urged to call Baltimore City police.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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