TORONTO – Police are looking for the public’s help identifying a suspect they say has been involved in a series of “brazen” break and enters, including sexual assaults, since the weekend and dating back to last September in Etobicoke.
Authorities have released home security video of the male with his face covered in a white t-shirt or a cloth walking near the Berry Road and Parklawn Road just north of The Queensway Avenue on Sunday.
Police allege the suspect, between 12:55 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., gained entry into the homes through doors and windows in the areas that had been left open at night.
During one break and enter, a woman alleges she was sexually assaulted while she slept.
“It’s very unsettling as you can imagine, when a person goes home and goes to sleep, it’s a basic human right that you feel safe when you head to bed,” said Detective Constable Thomas Ueberholz of the Sex Crimes Unit during a press conference Wednesday morning.
Police say the suspect is the same person responsible for a string of similar break and enters last September.
Investigators say six homes were broken into near the area bordered by Bloor Street West, Islington Avenue, The Queensway and the Humber River, and in some of the incidents, women were sexually assaulted by the male suspect.
One of the incidents involved a 91-year-old woman who called police with her medical alert system after she was allegedly groped. Police say the victims ranged in age.
The suspect is described as having a darker complexion, with a thin build, between five foot eight inches to six feet tall and in his late teens to 30 years of age.
“He is breaking into homes, he’s removing property and in some cases he is sexually assaulting victims,” said Ueberholz. “He’s been seen by the residents as he was leaving, he’s very agile, seen hopping over fences.”
The home security video also shows a male walking in the area around the same time as the alleged incidents and police would like the public’s help identifying the person of interest.
Investigators say that individual has similar clothing and physical appearance as the suspect.
“It seems it may be a suspect, but he’s a person of interest and would like to speak to him,” said Ueberholz.
Police are asking residents in the area to report any suspicious incidents and turn over any security footage they have to authorities.
Watch the security videos:
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