December 11, 2014

Police say a 55-year-old man has confessed to robbing and assaulting a 38-year-old woman near 41st and Pine Streets Thursday evening. The man was apprehended around 6:40 p.m. by plainclothes officers. Police say he approached the victim from behind while she was walking alone, struck her in the back of the head with a bicycle U-lock and demanded her bag. He then started dragging the woman down the street and took her bag and cell phone, when two plainclothes police officers who were nearby observed the assault and arrested the attacker. Police were on a high alert in the last few days due to the recent attacks.

Police say he is also a suspect in other assaults on women in the area over the last five days, including an attempted robbery near 41st and Sansom on Saturday and two indecent assaults on female students late Thursday morning near Drexel’s campus. Police are also checking if this person is linked to a sexual assault and robbery of a 23-year-old female, which took place on Monday night near 47th and Chestnut.

The victim of the Thursday evening attack sustained lacerations to the back of her head and was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where she received stitches.

Police say the man they apprehended has 25 prior arrests.

The suspect does not appear to be linked to the rape of a Drexel University student, which took place early Wednesday morning in her off-campus apartment near 34th and Spring Garden Streets. The investigation continues.