THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 23, 1997 TAG: 9701230299
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 91 lines
Detectives are hunting a burglar whose spate of unusual crimes recently escalated into sexual assaults of a mother and her 9-year-old daughter who came home while the intruder was still inside their residence.
Authorities said Wednesday they are concerned that the burglar may strike again in the Magic Hollow area, where most of the crimes have occurred this month. Police urged residents there to be alert and cautious.
In three of several recent break-ins, police said the burglar's focus appeared sexual.
In one, the burglar stole women's underwear. In another, the intruder found a sexually explicit videotape in a home and apparently watched it on the resident's video cassette recorder.
In the third and most disturbing case, the burglar tied up a 44-year-old mother and her 9-year-old daughter and sexually assaulted them repeatedly for 90 minutes in their home, said Detective Jim McElligott.
In those three cases, the intruder ransacked the homes but stole either nothing or items of little value, McElligott said. Each time, the burglar paid special attention to women's lingerie.
Detectives also are checking for connections between those three break-ins and several others that happened recently in the northern section of Magic Hollow.
Police said the burglaries began Jan. 7. The most recent break-in happened Tuesday when someone kicked in a home's front door and took a shower in the residence. Police said nothing was taken.
Police declined Wednesday to discuss in detail possible links among the cases.
But police did say that in several burglaries, the intruder tried to get inside the homes through several windows and doors, looking for an unlocked entrance. Finding none, he broke in.
The sexual assaults happened Jan. 12. Police said that when the mother returned to her home with her daughter around 8:15 p.m., she sensed something was out of the ordinary but did not react in time to avoid the burglar, who was waiting inside.
McElligott said the intruder tied up the mother and daughter and repeatedly sexually assaulted them, but he did not rape either one. Occasionally, the burglar stopped to search the home, but did not take anything of value.
Once, while the burglar was ransacking the home, the mother broke free and confronted him but, police said, she submitted to the burglar's forceful orders not to resist. He tied her up again. McElligott said the mother complied because the intruder threatened to harm her daughter.
McElligott said the intruder was stern and controlled the victims with threats rather than violence. The detective said the burglar was conversational and made no efforts to conceal his face. Police said he did not show a weapon.
``He appeared relaxed and quite at home,'' said McElligott's supervisor, Sgt. Rick Markle.
When the burglar left, he promised the mother that he would call police to free her, but never did. The mother wriggled free and called police from a neighbor's house, the detective said.
McElligott said investigators are concerned that the suspect will strike again. He urged Magic Hollow residents to be cautious. He said residents who spot unusual activity or strangers in the neighborhood should call police right away.
Investigators said the suspect is a clean-cut white man in his early 20s, about 5-foot-11. He has short, light-brown hair and a youthful ``baby face.'' He was last seen wearing a light-colored athletic jersey, dark pants, a dark coat and black-and-white sneakers. MEMO: SAFETY TIPS
Police said they are concerned that a burglar who sexually assaulted
two victims may strike again in the northern section of Magic Hollow.
They offered these tips to residents:
1. If it looks like your home was burgled, resist the urge to rush
inside and take inventory of your belongings. Instead, quickly and
quietly back out and call police.
2. Remember which lights you left on or off. If you return and the
lights aren't as you left them, call police.
3. If you have a medium- or large-sized dog that is housebroken,
leave the animal inside when you're gone to thwart a burglar.
4. Ask neighbors to keep an eye on your home when you're not there,
and do the same for them.
5. Report to the police any suspicious person or activity. Help the
police by writing down the license plate numbers of suspicious cars if
you can do so without risking your safety.
TO HELP
Anyone with information is asked to call 427-0000. Callers can remain
anonymous and are eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. ILLUSTRATION: VP MAP
LYNNHAVEN/OCEANA
KEYWORDS: BURGLARY SEXUAL ASSAULT