Subway groper strikes a fourth time
Special Victims detectives are looking for a heavyset man who has groped four women in South Philadelphia subway corridors and who pushed his latest victim to the ground.
Three of the assaults happened in the Tasker-Morris station on SEPTA's Broad Street Line, and one happened in the Ellsworth-Federal station.
The attacks began in April and the latest was Wednesday. The victims, all lone women, ranged in age from 20 to 50, police said.
In each case, the man grabbed the women over their clothes or tried to put his hand into their pants before fleeing up the stairs to the street level.
The man approaches his victims from behind in the concourse area of the stations. He hasn't said anything to the victims or displayed a weapon.
"In one incident, he actually runs away from the complainant laughing at her," police Lt. Tom McDevitt said.
In the most recent attack, the man tried to remove a woman's pants, knocking her to the ground. The victim was not hurt.
The first indecent assault occurred on April 25, followed by assaults on May 26, June 25, and Wednesday.
All the assaults took place between 12:30 and 4:45 p.m. Police believe the man might live near the two subway stops, which are blocks apart.
In Wednesday's incident, surveillance cameras captured the man's image. He has been described as a black man in his teens or early 20s, about 6 feet tall with a heavy build.
Anyone with information on the assailant is asked to call Special Victims at 215-685-3265 or 215-686-TIPS.
Contact staff writer Troy Graham at 215-854-2730 or tgraham@phillynews.com.




