Woman, 19, knocked off bike in Rotterdam in apparent sex crime; 5 more attacks in area
The police in Rotterdam are looking for a man suspected of assaulting a woman in an apparent sex crime on Thursday on the Zevenbergsedijk. The suspect was seen driving away on a scooter. Over the past few months, five women and girls as young as 11 years old have been assaulted in the same area, and police are investigating whether the incidents were committed by the same man. Three of the victims have filed police reports, authorities said.
A 19-year-old woman was chased by a man on a scooter on Thursday evening. He pushed her off her bicycle and then tried to take off her pants. The woman managed to escape and alerted the police.
The suspect fled the scene on his scooter. He is reportedly a man in his 20s with a light brown complexion and a gap between his teeth. He was riding a dark-colored scooter and wore a dark helmet, which prevented the victim from seeing him clearly.
Girls as young as 11 have previously been sexually assaulted in the area near the Zevenbergsedijk and the Cornelis van Beverenbrug. Police say those offenses may also have been carried out by the same man. The first report of a sexual assault in the area came on July 7, and in each case the suspect was described as being on a scooter.
Police recently arrested a 42-year-old man in connection with the assaults, but he was released after questioning. His description does not match that of the suspect.
The police are asking any other women who may have been assaulted in the area to come forward. They are also calling on witnesses and anyone with camera footage to contact them.
