A series of three sex offense incidents gave a whole new meaning to your average College Park creeper. No, not that guy who is trying to pet your head at the bar, or that jerk who tries to cop a feel as you walk down Route 1. During the early morning hours of Friday Sept. 9, three female students were touched inappropriately in their beds by an unknown male intruder, UMD campus police said.
Between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. there were two incidents reported off-campus on the 4700 block of College Avenue, the 7500 block of Rhode Island Avenue and one on-campus incident at the Leonardtown Apartments.
According to a crime alert sent to UMD students, the Leonardtown victim reported waking up to a man in her bed touching her breasts and torso at about 3:30 a.m. “The victim was walking home from her boyfriend’s house late after a night drinking,” police spokesman Capt. Marc Limansky said.
The victim reportedly screamed and the man fled. She then went back to sleep without waking her roommates or calling the police, police said. The College Ave. victim went to sleep in a room with her boyfriend in the house that hosted a party they both attended, police said. The victim awoke to an unknown male touching her back and butt. When the victim went to alert her sleeping boyfriend, the man left the room.
The Rhode Island Ave. victim was asleep when she was awakened to feel someone touching her body, a university crime alert said. “At first I was very scared and felt threatened. I felt like I was being watched at all hours of the day and I tried to not be in my residence alone, even in the daytime,” a UMD resident in close proximity to the building intrusion said. “Now, being a few weeks later, I realize that I just need to be alert and aware of my surroundings. I am significantly more careful, I now double lock my doors, leave lights on, and never ever walk home alone.”
Limansky said that the intruder in these multiple cases is most likely the same person. However, they are probably not linked to similar attacks that happened two to three years ago in College Park, where the individual broke in to a residence and destroyed property.
“Here they are just getting in, there is a lack of clarity from the victims whether they locked their door after they’ve been drinking,” Limansky said.
All three students did not report the incidents until 12 to 15 hours after they occurred. Limansky said that it is imperative to report the situation to the police immediately so they have a better chance of catching the intruder.
“Students come home and expect their homes to not have a person in them already,” Limansky said. “You have to still try to be responsible, make sure the people who are there are supposed to be there are there; look out for each other.”
“Alcohol doesn’t cause the crime to happen but it increases the likelihood of being victimized because your senses are dull,” Limansky continued. “If you’re sober you might sense someone following you, if you were drinking you might be more oblivious.”
Capt. Limanksy had some advice on how to stay safe and suggested the buddy system. Here are some quick tips to keep yourself safe at night.
1) Be aware of your surroundings.
2) Lock your doors.
3) Make sure your friends are somewhere safe.
4) Make sure your door closes behind you.
5) Don’t walk home alone.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Maryland chapter.