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Reward offered to help capture North Park assault suspect

A new $15,000 reward is being offered through San Diego Crime Stoppers to help bring whomever is behind a string of assaults in North Park to justice.
SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - A new $10,000 reward is being offered through San Diego Crime Stoppers to help bring whomever is behind a string of assaults in North Park to justice.


Mark Arabo, president and CEO of the Neighborhood Market Association, has pledged the money for information leading to the capture of the suspect he has called "the North Park Creep."


In the meantime, San Diego police released photos of a "person of interest" in the most recent assault in North Park and asked the public's help in identifying the man, who was seen in the area of the attack.


The attack happened about 11:30 p.m. last Thursday when a man knocked a woman to the ground and punched her in the face in an alley off the
3900 block of Idaho Street
, Sgt. Shawn Takeutchi said. Detectives from the Sex Crimes Unit were working to determine if the attack was related to other recent assaults in the North Park neighborhood.


Police described the suspect in Thursday's attack as Hispanic, 5 feet 6 to 6 feet tall and wearing a red shirt and dark pants. The suspect ran off when the woman screamed and several witnesses came to her aid.


In the photos released by police, the man was wearing a baseball cap and appeared to be wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants.


On July 20, a woman was attacked from behind and lost consciousness in the
2900 block of Lincoln Avenue
, police said. Detectives said that assault was similar to another incident a month before and a block away.


Attempted sexual assaults on Meade Avenue near 33rd Street and on Lincoln Avenue near Oregon Street were reported on June 17 and June 21, respectively, according to police.


During a special town hall meeting in North Park on Saturday, city officials said they are working on plans for better lighting in the North Park area.


"People have the right to feel safe in their community and with the sixth attack, people are not feeling particularly safe," City Council President Todd Gloria said.


Anyone with information was asked to call the Sex Crimes Unit at (619) 531-2210 or
San Diego County Crime Stoppers
at (888) 580-8477.

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