Peeping reported in same area as string of rapes

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Fayetteville police are urging the public to use caution after a report this week of a peeping incident in an area of the city where a string of rapes and sexual assaults have occurred in recent months.

A woman living in the northern Ramsey Street area in Carver Falls reported to police this week an April 14 incident in which a man banged on her door while she was in the shower. Police said she did not recognize the man when she went to the door and refused to open it.

The woman also reported seeing the same man looking through the front window of her home before he ran into nearby woods.

Authorities are not sure whether the man – a white man, about 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet tall, with an athletic build, is the same man believed to be linked to three rapes in the same area.

But "given the presence of (a) rapist in the area, detectives believe the information regarding this recent peeping incident should be given to the public," the police department said in a news release.

Authorities have used the city's reverse-911 system to warn residents about those assaults, which occurred between August 2006 and February 2008. There was also a report of a sexual assault in January and an attempted sexual assault in the same area in early February.

In those cases, they are looking for a white or Hispanic man in his early 20s to early 30s, between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet 3 inches tall. He might have short, possibly shaved hair and has an athletic build.

Residents should immediately contact the police department at 910-433-1856 or call 911 if suspicious people or vehicles are noticed in the area.

They should also keep these safety tips and others from the police department in mind:

 

Keep blinds and drapes in a position the do not allow people to see inside your home, especially at night.

 

Have a trusted neighbor watch you enter your apartment to make sure you get there safely, if you are a female living alone.

 

Avoid wearing earphones when jogging or walking to be more aware of approaching footsteps or vehicles.

 

Vary your routine.