Police Seek Help Finding Attempted Sex Assault Suspect
SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBS4) -- Miami-Dade police are canvassing a Southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood passing out flyers with the composite sketch of a man who abducted a woman and tried to sexually assault her.
The woman was abducted near a CVS store on SW 195st Street and South Dixie Highway on Monday, February 21st.
"Her car was unlocked, so according to investigators, the subject entered the car and was waiting for her in the backseat of the vehicle," said Roy Rutland of Miami-Dade Police.
Police said she was driven to a nearby shopping plaza where she was held for several hours. Investigators say the man tried to sexually assault the woman before he gave up and ran away.
"There was some sort of panic and the victim was able to escape and contact Miami-Dade Police," Rutland said.
The attempted sexual assault is very similar to an attack which took place on January 12th at SW 121st Street and 117th Court. A woman was abducted from a gas station and driven to an adjacent warehouse area where he sexually assaulted her.
Police say the January 12th suspect is a Latin male in his 30's. He was wearing a red shirt, tan shoes and had tattoos on both arms.
"Certainly we're going to say there are some similarities between the two sketches," Rutland said. "But we'd rather not say at this point if we're dealing with the same man, we do not know if we're dealing with the same person or not."
Nevertheless, the crimes are enough to make women in the area very worried.
"What I would do is lock my car, definitely, and look around before getting into my car," Maria Castellanos said.
If you think you recognize either suspect, please call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
