Cops: Man broke in,
assaulted 2 women

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

Philadelphia police are searching for a man who they say broke into a Rhawnhurst home last week and sexually assaulted a mother and daughter who live there.
Investigators believe the crook’s initial intent was to burglarize and rob the home on the 1900 block of Rhawn St., said Capt. John Darby, commander of the special victims unit.
The suspect entered the home through a window inside a screened-in porch at about 3:15 a.m. on May 11.
Hearing noises from the kitchen area, the daughter, 39, went to investigate and encountered the prowler. The suspect "roughs her up," Darby said, then forced the woman in a rear bedroom of the single home, where he sexually assaulted her.
Hearing the commotion, the woman’s 64-year-old mother investigates and eventually becomes a second sexual assault victim.
The women reported seeing no weapon.
The suspect didn’t flee the scene immediately, but remained there for an undetermined length of time, ordering the women to remain in a particular area of the home, Darby said. At one point, he allegedly forced the mother into a closet. He also put a blanket over both women and threatened to kill them if they moved, according to the police captain.
"The male stays in the property for some period of time," Darby said.
When the man left the home, the women called a relative, who contacted authorities. Police arrived at about 6 a.m.
The suspect allegedly stole about $400 cash from the home, as well as a unique bottle of French perfume that police hope will help them locate him. The bottle is tall and spiral shaped. It was mostly full.
"He does demand money and (the daughter) offers money. I believe the motivation here was burglary," Darby said.
The women described the suspect as white, age 25 to 35, 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall, 160 to 180 pounds and thin. He has blonde or light brown hair and had no facial hair. He wore all black clothing and had a chipped left front tooth.
The suspect also had a reddish patch of skin on his forehead and may have bumped it while breaking into the home.
In entering the home, the man continued past a motion sensor light and into the unlocked screen porch, which investigators believe provided him cover as he climbed into the ground-level window.
Darby said that authorities have no reports of similar cases in the area.
"This is very unusual for that area," he said.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has additional information is asked to call the special victims unit at 215-685-3251. ••
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com