Police seek man in 2 NCCo kidnappings, sexual assaults
Two women have been kidnapped and sexually assaulted in less than a week in New Castle County, and police say they need the public's help to stop the attacks.
Investigators believe the assaults have been carried out by the same man, described by police as about 5-feet-8-inches to 5-feet-10-inches, with a medium build and a distinct accent.
Acting Chief Col. Vaughn Bond said the attacks – the most recent of which occurred Sunday night – appear to be random in nature, which makes them all the more concerning for the community.
"Unfortunately, we've experienced crimes of this nature before in New Castle County," Bond said. "But fortunately, we've been able to solve them. They were solved by the hard work of our detectives who were able to follow up on leads that were given to us by residents of New Castle County."
The department, along with New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, has called upon the community to come forward with any details on the man perpetrating these crimes. Though police said they do have a photo, it has not been released pending further investigation.
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Until the man is arrested, the department will increase patrols throughout the county, Bond said, as well as elevate the response for suspicious people or vehicles to "priority one." The response to these 911 calls gets immediate attention from patrol units.
"Nothing compares to what you can do," Meyer said. "You, in your communities, by simply using your eyes and ears, seeing and listening to what is around you, calling when you see something strange... it helps to keep us all safer."
The most recent attack occurred about 7:45 p.m. Sunday at the Arundel Apartments community when a woman returning home was approached by a masked man who forced her into her apartment, said Sr. Cpl. Tracey Duffy, a spokeswoman with the New Castle County Police Department.
The man demanded money from her and proceeded to physically and sexually assault her inside her apartment, Duffy said. He then forced her back to her vehicle, which he drove to multiple ATMs in Pike Creek in order for her to withdraw cash, she said.
After stops at four ATMs – the PNC Bank on Limestone Road, Wells Fargo on Limestone Road, M&T Bank on Limestone Road, and the Artisan’s Bank in the Linden Hill Shopping Center – the woman was able to escape from the man and contact 911, Duffy said. She was transported to an area hospital where she was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries, she said.
The attack mirrors a kidnapping that occurred on Feb. 13 at Top of the Hill Apartments in Holly Oak, according to county police.
In that case, an armed man approached a woman at about 7:45 p.m. and forced her into her own vehicle before driving to a nearby ATM on Marsh Road. He then forced the woman to withdraw an undisclosed amount of cash, according to police.
During the hour-and-a-half incident, the man hit the woman in the face, as well as held conversations with himself about his plans for the woman, Duffy said. The man talked out loud to himself, and then sexually assaulted the woman while inside the vehicle, she said.
The man later returned to the apartment complex and released the victim, police said. He fled shortly thereafter. A dark-colored SUV may be involved in this incident, Duffy said.
Anyone with information should contact police at (302) 573-2800 or nccpd.com. Those with surveillance footage should contact Detective Levy via e-mail at cilevy@nccde.org.
Tipsters may also call Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333, on New Castle County Police Department's Facebook page or through the New Castle County Police Smartphone Application. A reward of up to $20,000.00 is available to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of those responsible for violent crimes.
Stay safe
Police also issued the following safety tips in the wake of the kidnappings:
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Don’t be distracted by texting – keep your eyes and ears open and hands free.
- Call someone while walking.
- Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.
- Trust your gut.
- Avoid hiding spots – walk in well-lit visible places.
- Change up your routine.
Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.