Police: Man Uses Brick To Break Apartment Window, Rapes And Robs Woman Inside
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Brooklyn woman was raped and then robbed inside her own home.
Police said she was asleep, when a man broke into her apartment by throwing a brick through her window, CBS2's Christina Fan reported Thursday.
Surveillance video shows the face of a man police said raped a 22-year-old woman inside her Bushwick apartment. The footage, which was uncovered from a local convenience store, appears to show him dancing and even smiling.
Neighbors told Fan they're now frightened for their own safety.
"You know, I'm afraid because I have my daughter living with us. And she comes in and out any time of the night. And I'm afraid for her safety," said Jeannie Yuen of Bushwick.
"To do something like that to a young girl, I mean, I can't imagine what her parents are going through," Lolita Sanchez added.
"That's really crazy that they can break into someone's own property. That's just sad," another said.
"I think I'm going to sleep with something at night, close my window, make sure doors are closed, locked especially," another added.
Police said the suspect used a brick to break into the victim's basement apartment near Central Avenue and Madison Street at around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The victim heard the noise, confronted the stranger and was then forced to her bedroom where she was raped.
"Who's looking around corners and shadows, walking down a staircase to go into transit, or puts the key in their apartment building, or God forbid their apartment door and is worried on a quote-unquote non-violent burglary that somebody is in their house," NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said.
Police believe the suspect's initial motive was actually burglary, because after the attack he allegedly stole the victim's Samsung cellphone and her wallet containing $65 and credit cards. He then ran off and popped into nearby Madison Smoke Shop. Regulars said they didn't recognize him.
"I never see the guy because I live here for almost 20 years in that building," one person said.
However, police are hoping others will recognize him after seeing the video. The suspect is described as being in his mid-20s, approximately 5-foot-8 and weighing 150 pounds, with a thin build and a full beard. He was last seen wearing a multi-colored hooded winter jacket, black hooded sweatshirt, Adidas sweatpants with white stripes, black sneakers and light blue crocheted cap.
Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website, by tweeting @NYPDTips or by texting 274637.