CHICAGO — A man hid in a woman's van when she stopped at a gas station in Indiana, forced her to drive to Chicago, and then sexually assaulted her, police said Thursday.
The 26-year-old woman was getting gas at a station in Hammond, Ind., about 6:20 a.m. on March 22, police said in a community alert.
While the woman was inside the station buying items, a man entered her unlocked van and hid inside, cops said.
As the woman drove away, the man revealed he was in the van and forced her to continue driving under the threat of a weapon. The man implied he had a knife, but never showed one, officials said.
He forced the woman to drive to several locations before stopping the vehicle an alley in the 9500 block of South Colfax, where he dragged the woman to the back of the van and sexually assaulted her, police said.
After the assault, the man forced the woman to drive to an ATM near East 103rd Street and South Torrence Avenue and take out cash. The man got out of the van near South Lowe Avenue and West 89th Street, police said.
The man is described as black, 30 to 33 years old, standing 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 and weighing 160-180 pounds. He was wearing a black ski mask with a rectangular opening for his eyes, a red Chicago Bulls shirt, and black and gray jeans. He was wearing a dark varsity-style jacket with stripes on the sleeves, white lettering on the front and a white design on the back, the alert said.
Police ask anyone with information to call 312-747-8271 or email area2tip@chicagopolice.org.
