Police Search for Suspect After Attempted Rape in Bensonhurst

BENSONHURST – Police are searching for the man who attempted to rape a woman in her Bensonhurst apartment over the weekend.

On Saturday, February 17, the suspect followed a 59-year old woman into her apartment building near 17th Avenue and Bay Ridge Parkway, said police. Following the victim to her door, the suspect forced his way inside the apartment, then exposed himself to the woman.

Police said the suspect then forced the woman to the couch, where he attempted to rape her. The woman resisted, and despite being slapped several times in the face by her attacker, was able to break free and run from the apartment, said police.

When the suspect left the apartment, the victim managed to double back to safety in her home and lock the man out. The suspect fled south on 17th Avenue, said police.

Police described the suspect as a light-skinned man in his 20s, around 6′ tall. He was last seen wearing a light-colored hooded sweater, a black coat, blue jeans and black sneakers. He can be seen in the surveillance video below:

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.