Student: Hooded Man Creeps Into Upper West Side Dorm, Was 'Petting My Hair'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's a student's nightmare: waking up to find an intruder standing in your darkened dorm room.
It happened on the Upper West Side, where police are searching for a suspect. CBS 2's Emily Smith spoke to the victim about her frightening ordeal.
Alia Callens said she doesn't know how anyone could break into her dorm on the 200 block of West 85th Street.
1010 WINS' John Montone reports: Season Of The Creep
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If you do not live there you can't go in.
And it's all students from the American Music and Dramatic Academy. So how did a creepy man somehow make his way into her third-floor dorm?
"He kept petting my hair and I turned on my curling iron and then he started to unzip his pants and I was like, 'Okay, you need to leave right now,'" Callens said.
The incident happened on Oct. 7. Callens said her room's door was not locked because she had fallen asleep studying.
"I freaked out, but I'm good now. I just want everyone to be safe and lock their doors and stuff," Callens said.
Callens describes the alleged intruder as a white male around 5-foot-7, 25 years old, with brown hair, a medium build and light beard stubble. He wore a blue hooded sweatshirt, sneakers and jeans.
This section of the Upper West Side is known as a particularly quiet, family oriented place to live. Still, those who live near the dorm said they can't help but worry.
"It's very frightening. It makes me want to get my locks changed," one student said.
"Fortunately, I'm not alone. I share my room with a friend," another said.
"It does. It does freak me out a bit. That's just normal, especially as a woman," another student said.
Police are investigating. They said if you are ever in a situation like Callens, immediately call 911 and run for help.
Police said they are looking into a possible connection between two other reported break-ins in that building over the past few months.
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