By Christina Santucci
Police have connected the Aug. 26 rape of a woman in Forest Park to five other sexual attacks in the same area dating back to 2011, authorities said Thursday afternoon. The NYPD said all six cases are part of a pattern. The victims range in age from 13 to 69, and attacks have taken place as early as 9:15 a.m. and as late as 6:30 p.m., cops said.
In the first incident in March 2011, a 54-year-old jogger was grabbed from behind by a suspect, who threw her to the ground, placed a gloved hand over her mouth and allegedly attempted to pull her pants down, police said. When the woman fought back, her attacker ran away from the scene at 80-30 Park Lane South, according to cops.
About six months later, a 13-year-old girl was approached at the corner of Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue by a suspect, who covered her mouth with his hand and threw her to the ground before allegedly attempting to remove the child’s shorts, the NYPD said. The girl was able to fight off the suspect, who fled, police said.
In August 2012, a suspect approached a 34-year-old woman from behind, covered her mouth and allegedly fondled her at the corner of Woodhaven Boulevard and Park Lane South, according to cops. When the woman screamed, her attacker ran, police said.
Three months later, a suspect allegedly touched a 40-year-old jogger, who was out running with her dog, with his exposed genitalia at the corner of Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue before fleeing, the NYPD said.
In March 2013, a 23-year-old woman was hit with a stun gun and allegedly sexually assaulted after she went for a jog in Forest Park, police said. Authorities said the attempted rape victim was taken to the hospital to be treated for neck wounds.
And in the most recent attack, a 69-year-old woman was struck with a stun gun, pushed to the ground and raped at about 6:30 p.m. near Union Turnpike and 72nd Street, cops said. She was taken to Queens Hospital Center, where she was treated and released, the NYPD said.
Her attacker was described by police as a clean-shaven white man with light brown hair. The NYPD released a new sketch of a suspect, believed to be connected to all six cases.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS, submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at www.crimestoppers.com or text info to 274637(CRIMES) then entering TIP577.
