Updated 08/20/2008 09:23 AM
Suspect In Brooklyn Sexual Assaults At Large
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Police released on Tuesday the description of a suspect behind two abductions and rapes of underage children that took place in Borough Park, Brooklyn over a year.
On August 3, a 14-year-old Hasidic Jewish girl was forced into a four-door black sedan, driven to a secluded spot, sexually assaulted and then dropped off at another location.
Police see similarities with a July 2007 abduction of a four-year-old girl, who was then molested and dropped off 15 blocks from her home.
The neighborhood streets are filled with many mothers and children during the day, and residents expressed concern over the presence of a suspect.
“I just moved here, and so it’s a little scary,” said resident Tova Nassbaum. “I just got a job here, so I’m working here, so now I would probably think twice before I go out of the house myself at night.”
“I know the cops are out there, but they really have to be really, really out there,” said resident Linda Dominguez. “Find out who’s doing it, find out the people that’ve done it previously. They’re out, it’s summer, it’s hot. There’s parks, there’s schools. They have to be constantly in schoolyards, parks, all over.”
“It’s not a good thing. They should have police all over,” said resident Shaindel Lebowitz. “They have to catch him and let him be in jail for the rest of his life.”
Police describe the suspect as a man in his early 20s, with a thin build and short, black hair that is spiked up. He was seen wearing a black t-shirt and white sneakers.
The suspect was described as driving a black four-door sedan with tinted windows and a beige cloth interior.
On Tuesday, Democratic Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the rapist’s conviction.
"I am deeply concerned about the two Borough Park abductions which have now been tied to the same assailant," said Hikind. "Already shaken by the recent assault, this will make residents even more anxious about the safety of our children. This is a community with a lot of children and they must be protected. The NYPD is to be commended for the significant resources they have committed to capturing this perpetrator.”
Anyone with information regarding the suspect should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES, then enter TIP577.