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Queens Women On Alert As NYPD Seeks Suspect In Violent Sex Attacks

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police are asking for the public's help in finding a suspect wanted for sexual abuse, rape and robbery -- all in the Forest Hills section of Queens.  The news has women in the neighborhood on alert.

The suspect -- identified by authorities as Ibrahima Ragis -- first struck on May 19 around 3:30 a.m. He entered the home of a 19-year-old woman while armed with a knife and grabbed the woman, pulled her into a walkway and sexually abused her, police said.

"Oh, my goodness....I'm from the area.  Very frighting you know," said Forest Hills resident Jeanette Collado told CBS 2's John Slattery.

Ragis is also suspected in a rape on May 28 around 3 a.m. That time the victim was a 17-year-old walking in front of her home. Police said Ragis approached the woman, dragged her into an ally and raped her. The victim was treated and released from a local hospital.

The latest incident took place on Sunday at around 2:37 a.m. Police said Ragis demanded property from a 22-year-old woman, who complied. He fled the location after being spotted by a witness. There were no injuries, police said.

Because the suspect had been arrested before -- once for turnstile jumping -- police came up with an ID and a photo. The commissioner wouldn't reveal exactly how, saying only it was the result of "some forensic evidence."

For a time, Ragis had lived with his older brother in the Edenwald section of the Bronx, according to the landlord.  She wonders whether her neighbor's brother is capable of the charges.

"I don't know what anyone is or is not capable of, but in my thoughts, I didn't think he was," said neighbor Candius Diallo.

Ragis is described is as 20 years old, 5-foot-5 and 160 pounds.

Police are hoping someone knows the whereabouts of the man so there won't be attack number four.

Anyone with information on any of these incidents is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

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