Police Search For Man Wanted In Nine Robberies In Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Another victim has come forward, adding to a string of home invasions in a Brooklyn community.
Police said a man was held up in his driveway just as the suspect was going to break into his home in East Flatbush, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported. The victim yelled for help and the suspect attacked him with pepper spray before taking off, police said.
The suspect is wanted in connection with eight other violent home invasions since February. Most occurred between Remsen Avenue and Rockaway Parkway, Burrell reported.
The suspect has been preying on people of all ages, with victims ranging from their 20s to late 70s, police said.
In each incident, the suspect either approaches his victims at they enter their homes or forces his way in through windows and doors, police said. He has struck at all hours of day and night.
Police Search For Man Wanted In Eight Robberies In Brooklyn
"We'll be out there tonight, we believe he's a career burglar who carries a gun with and it picks up steam this case in the middle of April into the first week of May," NYPD Chief of Detective Robert Boyce said.
Surveillance video released by police shows the suspect trying to break into an East Flatbush home this month and using a stolen ATM card last week, Burrell reported.
A Brooklyn grandmother said he climbed through a window of her East Flatbush home and robbed her and her grandson at gunpoint.
Police Search For Man Wanted In Nine Robberies In Brooklyn
"He was just saying: 'Turn around! Turn around! Turn the eff around! Where's the money? Give me the money! Where's the money at!'" the woman said. "I am sure we were going to die."
Another victim had her purse taken at gunpoint.
"He pointed it at my face," she said, calling the experience "terrifying; it's not something you forget."
No injuries have been reported.
Many of the homes have security systems, but so far it seems they haven't deterred the suspect.
"That's somebody very malicious and doesn't care about security systems," a victim's neighbor, Wesley Blackmon, said.
The suspect is between 20 and 30 years old, 5'9" tall, and weighs 180 to 200 pounds, police said. He has made of with cash, jewelry as well as electronics.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips to the Crime Stoppers website or text their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and then enter TIP577.
