D.C. police are asking for the public鈥檚 help in solving two very similar home invasions and sexual assaults that happened in the same block in the span of a little more than 48 hours.
Both incidents happened in the 1600 block of Irving Street, in the Mount Pleasant area of Northwest 鈥� one at about 1 a.m. Tuesday, May 21; the other at about 6 a.m. Thursday, Police Chief Peter Newsham said.
In the first case, a woman awoke to find a man in her bedroom who claimed he was armed, Newsham said. He added that the suspect got in by removing an air conditioner from a back window.
He made her undress and sexually assaulted her, then took her into a second bedroom and took money from someone else, then left through the south alley, stealing a bicycle on his way out.
In the second incident, a man entered a house through an unlocked basement window, then approached a woman in her bedroom and demanded money and 鈥渆ngaged in unwanted sexual contact鈥� with her, before leaving through the rear door and riding off on a bicycle.
The police have seen security video of the subject and described him as a black man in his 50s, between 5-foot-10 and 6-foot-2 with a medium to heavy build, light brown eyes and a gray and black beard.
鈥淲e have reason to believe鈥� that both crimes were committed by the same man,鈥� Newsham said. If anyone has any more information on the cases, Newsham asked for them to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411.
Council member Brianne Nadeau called the crimes 鈥渧ery disturbing,鈥� and added that the spring has been 鈥渁 very difficult time for Ward 1鈥� with a spate of violent crime. 鈥淪ecure your homes, and if you鈥檝e seen anything, please report it鈥� to the police, she said.
鈥淭his is the type of thing that really scares people,鈥� Newsham said.
