Police sent out a serious warning Friday afternoon just days after the latest sexual attack in the city's Mayfair section of the city.
"He's preying on young women," Philadelphia Police Captain John Darby said during a press conference Friday. "Late night, early morning hours... Be aware out there."
"We're trying to prevent any additional attacks from occurring."
Officials believe the same man is most likely responsible for three violent attacks in the past five weeks.
"There's a good possibility that these crimes are being done by the same offender, although that has not been definitively determined at this time," said Philadelphia Police Captain John Darby.
The most recent attack happened late Wednesday night near Longshore Avenue and the Roosevelt Boulevard.
Police say a 20-year-old woman had just gotten off a SEPTA bus and was walking to her friend's house when a man punched her and forced her to the ground before dragging her into the parking lot of Our Lady of Ransom where she was sexually assaulted.
The victim struggled with the suspect until he took off on foot toward Tyson Avenue.
This attack took place just blocks away from a second attempted sexual assault less than a week ago.
A surveillance camera caught that attack.
It showed the victim walking close to her Mayfair home and a man following her down the alley behind Wellington Street.
The victim says the man grabbed her neck while holding a metal weapon to it and told her not to scream or he'd kill her. Then he began pulling fown her pants.
"He proceeded to pull down my pants and he pulled down his pants..." said the victim.
It was at that moment that a neighbor came out of her home and stopped the attack.
The third attack happened three blocks away from the second, on Disston Street in late April.
Police say a 23-year-old woman was approached from behind with a weapon, directed into a driveway and raped.
In all three cases, the suspect is described as a white male or light-skinned black male around 6' tall with no tattoos or distinguishing marks. Police say he's doing well at hiding his face from his victims.
Anyone with information on the suspect's identity is urged to call Philadelphia Police.
