Series of sexual batteries continues
Another woman reported being sexually battered on the west side of Westwood, the eighth incident of sexual battery in the past two and a half months.
On Feb. 26 at 11:30 a.m., the suspect approached a woman from behind as she walked southbound on the 400 block of Kelton Avenue, according to a university police press release posted Monday.
The suspect ran up from behind and “bear hugged” her, grabbing her breasts.
He then fled on foot northbound toward Gayley Avenue.
Detective Selby Arsena, who is handling the investigation of the string of batteries – the earliest of which occured on Dec. 15, 2005 – said the woman was a UCLA staff member, though he was unsure as to whether she was a student as well.
The previous police bulletin said a woman was attacked on Jan. 10, over a month and a half ago.
All of the incidents have taken place on Landfair and Kelton avenues between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. or between 6:20 p.m. and 7 p.m.
In every case, the suspect approached the victim from behind, and in a majority of the incidents, reached around to grabbed the victims’ breasts.
The suspect in all the cases has been described as a white male with dark curly hair, between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 11 inches tall, approximately 150 to 180 pounds, and is estimated to be about 22 years old.
By this point in the investigation, however, police cannot be sure it is the same suspect who committed the most recent crime, though the description provided was similar to previous descriptions, Arsena said.
Arsena said a possible reason for the extended amount of time between this most recent incident and that of Jan. 10 may be the barrage of local media coverage the crimes received last month, which may have caused the suspect to leave the area or stop for awhile.
Director of Police Community Services Nancy Greenstein said UCPD is continuing to patrol the area as well as encouraging individuals to report crimes.
She said the woman involved in the latest incident reported the battery half an hour after it had taken place, adding that if UCPD can receive reports of crimes faster, it could help them locate the suspect.
UCPD has also been working with the Operations West Bureau of the Los Angeles Police Department during the course of the investigation, Arsena said.
Greenstein said she hopes this most recent battery is an isolated incident and not the beginning of another series of crimes.
Phil Hampton, a UCLA spokesman, said an updated flier about the Feb. 26 incident is being distributed for all facilities managers to post across campus.
University police have encouraged students to program the UCPD dispatch number into their cell phones, report any suspicious persons immediately, and to utilize the Community Service Officer Escort Services for safety.
Anyone with information related to these cases is urged to call UCPD at (310) 825-1491. For more information on UCLA CSO Escort Services, call (310) 794-WALK.
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