NYPD: Man Rapes, Robs Woman At Gunpoint In Her Brooklyn Home
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police are looking for a man who they said raped and robbed a woman at gunpoint after breaking into her Brooklyn apartment.
As CBS2's Valerie Castro reported, new surveillance video shows the suspect walking into a store, clearly covering his face. He walks over to the ATM, appears to take money out, and then walks out of the store -- again covering his face.
The attack happened around 1:30 a.m. Monday at a residence near DeKalb and Wilson avenues in Bushwick, police said.
The 29-year-old victim was sleeping and woke up to the sound of a stranger opening her door in the middle of the night.
Police said the suspect went into the apartment with a gun and asked the victim to choose between being raped and being killed, CBS2's Sonia Rincon reported. During the incident, police sources said the suspect told the victim that he wanted to go to Canada.
Before he left, police said he took several items including the victim's cell phone and credit card.
The woman was treated at Woodhull Medical Center and released.
The frightening ordeal has neighbors wondering how the suspect was able to get in through the front door of the apartment building, and then into the woman's home.
Police sources told CBS2 that the victim left a key to her apartment hidden outside her door because she relies on some sort of service to use it to get into her place when she's not there, Rincon reported.
"We don't leave any keys outside, none of the other people in the apartment building leave keys outside, we leave it to neighbors and stuff just in case," neighbor Michael Sell said.
Many are shocked by the crime which happened around the corner from the headquarters of the NYPD's Brooklyn South Borough Patrol.
"I guess we're underestimating some of the crime around here," Sell said.
"I never see problems over here," said neighbor Manny Pedrose. "Police are right on the corner."
"It surprises me that it would happen right there. Generally it makes you feel safer to live by there," neighbor Eric Bechtel said.
"You have to watch yourself, no matter what," a 25-year-old woman told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck. "Even if you're sober, or you're drunk, or you're walking home late-night or walking early in the morning from a jog -- you always have to look behind your back because you never know when it's going to happen."
And even though police are optimistic that the suspect will be caught, those who live in and visit the area said even a quick arrest won't be soon enough for peace of mind.
"That doesn't -- I don't feel safe at all," said Faye Tsakas of Bushwick.
Police earlier released a sketch and surveillance image of the suspect.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, visit the Crime Stoppers website, or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and enter TIP577.
