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Two women attacked in their homes by man wearing red gloves

Over the last two months, within blocks of each other in South Philadelphia and Point Breeze, two women were attacked during home invasions - incidents that police now believe may have been committed by the same man.

Police investigate a report of an attempted break-in along the 1800 block of Rosewood St. this morning, the same block where a home invasion recently occurred. Police were still determining whether the cases are related.
Police investigate a report of an attempted break-in along the 1800 block of Rosewood St. this morning, the same block where a home invasion recently occurred. Police were still determining whether the cases are related.Read moreAlejandro A. Alvarez/Staff

Over the last two months, within blocks of each other in South Philadelphia and Point Breeze, two women were attacked during home invasions - incidents that police now believe may have been committed by the same man.

In both attacks, the women were confronted in their homes in the early hours of the morning by a stranger who had been wearing red gloves, police said Tuesday. Police said the man demanded money, and then demanded sex.

In the first attack, the woman was choked. In the second, the victim was sexually assaulted in her bed.

"He's a dangerous offender, and he's capable of anything," Capt. John Darby of the Special Victims Unit said at an afternoon news conference.

He said similarities in the nature of the attacks - the geographic proximity, the time frames, the intrusions - were all causes for concern. In both cases, the women's attacker did not carry a weapon but threatened his victims.

"We have the possibility of a pattern down there," Darby said. He said police were "pursuing this as though we have a single offender" but did not rule out the possibility the attacks were by two separate men.

The more recent attack happened Monday morning at 4:30, when a 35-year-old woman was awoken by a masked stranger in her bedroom on the 1800 block of South Rosewood Street in South Philadelphia, just south of Point Breeze.

The man demanded money - she offered what little cash she had - and then sexually assaulted her, police said. The man fled in her car, which he abandoned a few blocks away.

The victim told police her attacker was wearing dark clothing and red or orange gloves.

Police said the case bears striking similarities to a home invasion March 26, about six blocks away on the 1700 block of South Chadwick Street in Point Breeze. In that incident, a 30-year-old woman was in her home with her two young children when a man entered the house at 3 a.m. and demanded money. He then exposed himself and demanded sex, police said.

He forced her children into another room so they would not be able to intervene, and choked the victim before fleeing, police said. Police released a composite of the suspect in that attack, who also wore red gloves.

The victim in the May case, police said, was unable to identify her attacker because of the mask he wore.

Darby said that there were no signs of forced entry in either case.

Darby said he wasn't sure how the suspect had selected his victims, but he "may have been looking through the neighborhood" for homes he could easily enter. Darby said he did not believe the victims had been followed to their homes, but said the suspect may be from the area.

Police described the suspect as a black man in his late 20s or 30s, of medium build, and 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-9 inches tall.

Darby said women in the neighborhood should be on guard, "aware, but not scared." He encouraged anyone in the area who saw anything suspicious to call 911; anyone with information on the attacks is asked to call the Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3251, or the department's tip line at 215-686-TIPS.

215-854-2961@aubreyjwhelan