Sun, 2005-12-04

There was one reported sexual assault, one reported attempted sexual assault and a report of a prowler (suspicious circumstances) over the weekend.

At 1:55am on Sunday, Police attended a reported sexual assault at a Paget guest property. The victim, a 20 year old female visitor to the island, stated that between 11pm on Saturday and 12:05am on Sunday, she heard noises outside her cottage. As a result, the victim exited the cottage and confronted the suspect, who ran off. However, approximately 40 minutes later the suspect returned and continued to make noises outside her bedroom window. The victim left the cottage again and confronted the suspect, telling him to leave the property. The suspect managed to touch the victim's clothing before making good his escape on foot in a westerly direction.

Around 11:50am on Sunday, Police received a report of an attempted sexual assault at a Southampton residence. The victim, a 25 year old Southampton woman, stated that around 12:40am on Saturday she arrived home and went to bed. Around 1am on Saturday, she was awakened by someone pulling at her blanket while crouching near the foot of her bed. The Southampton woman shouted at the suspect, who ran out of the house. The suspect did not touch the victim during the incident.

At 11:25am on Sunday, Police received a report of suspicious circumstances at a White Sands Road, Paget residence. The victim, a 38 year old Paget woman, stated that around 2am on Sunday a taxi dropped her off at her home. She went inside and went into the bathroom, only to exit the bathroom a few minutes later and find an unknown male at the door of her residence looking in. The Paget woman screamed repeatedly as the suspect walked down the steps, up the driveway and on to White Sands Road making good his escape. The suspect was wearing a dark coloured hooded top and dark coloured pants. Police are appealing for the taxi driver who dropped the victim off at her residence to contact the Serious Crime Unit on 295-0011.

The Bermuda Police Service is continuing to conduct inquiries into a series of sexual assaults in Southampton, Warwick and Paget which we believe may be linked. In the past several months, women have reported to the Police that they have been awoken during the early morning hours by a male who has assaulted them. On each occasion investigations have revealed that entry had been gained into the residence through an insecure door or window. A team of seven officers is investigating these incidents, led by Detective Sergeant Kevin Christopher of the Serious Crime Unit.

Police are urging members of the public who have observed any suspicious activity in their neighbourhoods or confronted any suspicious individuals lurking around their property, particularly in the parishes of Southampton, Warwick or Paget to contact the Police at the earliest available opportunity on 295-0011, or the confidential Crimestoppers Hotline on 1-800-623-8477.

We would also like to remind residents to make sure their homes are secured, especially at night time, by locking all doors and windows. Further crime prevention/home security advice is available here. Additionally, specific advice regarding the personal safety of women is available here.

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