At least seven women have been robbed at gunpoint and then sexually attacked since late August on the West Side. Police have issued an alert warning women from United Center Park to the Austin community.
Police said the man approached the female victims on foot while they are walking down the sidewalk, parking their cars or entering their residences. These attacks occurred in the early morning hours from 3 a.m to 6 a.m.
During the robberies, the man sexually abuses or assaults the victim before running off. The last attacked happened on Sunday.
Police have very little to go off on and could only offer a vague description of the attacker. He's a black man in his 20s or 30s who stands between 5 feet, 5 inches and six feet tall and weighs between 130 and 170 pounds. He's worn a skull cap and/or a ski mask, black jacket or sweater and black jeans.
Neighbor Bobbette Collier, who has lived on the 1100 block of North Lawndale since 1968, said she's not surprised by the attacks.
"Women get raped over here in the alley. There's a lot of abandoned buildings. The police department doesn't service this area the way they should, and the people know that," she said.
Anyone with information should call detectives at 312-746-8253.
