CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police are investigating an incident of a woman coming face-to-face with a man right outside her window on the city's east side earlier this week. Officers say the encounter is 'strikingly similar' to two previous incidents which occurred within two blocks.
According to the official police report, a suspect terrorized a 27-year-old woman in the rear of her home on E. 144th Street just after 11 p.m. on Monday. The victim says she heard a noise, pullled back a curtain, and a man wearing a ski mask was standing by her kitchen window. He was staring at her and did not run away.
The suspect is described as standing 5'9", wearing a block hoody, and a ski mask. The hoody had a small logo on the left chest, believed to be possibly a Polo logo.
Officers also discovered three plastic tips to Black and Mild cigars in the backyard. The victim indicated that she does not smoke and didn't know where the cigars came from. The suspect also apparently tried to open windows in two of the house's bedrooms, leaving hand prints showing an upward motion.
On Tuesday, Channel 3's Andrew Horansky reported that Cleveland Police were investigating two similar attacks that took place in the previous two weeks involving victims ages 7 and 31. Those two victims live within a block of each other. One is on Caine Avenue and the other is on East 142nd Street.
The two previous victims described their attacker as a light-skinned male in his mid-twenties who broke in, in the middle of the night. They say he wore black clothing, including a ski mask he removed.
According to the police report, the 7-year-old said the suspect pushed an AC unit through her window and then got into her bad, claiming to be her dad. She said he smelled like smoke and ran away when she called for her mom.
Police say the other victim was held against her will, and assaulted.
The entry into both homes came through first floor windows.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit at (216) 623-5630.
Anonymous information can be given to Crime Stoppers by calling (216) 252-7463 or by texting TIP657 plus your message to “Crimes” (274637).