ELMHURST — Police are looking for a man accused of forcing his hand down women's pants and up their skirts at subway stations in Elmhurst.
The five victims were grabbed and touched while waiting on the train platform between February and July, cops said.
The first victim, a 19-year-old, told police the suspect forced his hand under her pants on February 5 at the M and R station at Broadway and Queens Boulevard.
The same suspect lifted a 47-year-old victim’s skirt at the same station and grabbed her private area in July, cops said.
He groped two other victims during separate incidents at the same station, and one victim at the nearby Elmhurst Avenue and Broadway station, according to authorities.
The suspect didn't use a weapon or rob the victims and they were not injured in the attacks, police said.
On Monday, straphangers said the incidents were unusual for the neighborhood.
“I’m really surprised,” said Natalie Torralba, 20, from Jamaica. “I feel safe everyday.”
Paula Freo, 17, lives in Elmhurst and rides the M train all the time, she said.
“I’ve never experienced that kind of thing, so it’s kind of new to me actually. I’m used to going in big groups and having guys with me, so it’s always safer that way,” she said.
“Usually there are cops watching us all the time, so I don’t feel unsafe. It’s weird to me.”
Two of the victims helped police draw up a sketch of the suspect, who is 5’7” and around 160 pounds.
He was last seen wearing a navy or black baseball hat.
Anyone with information in regards to these incidents is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
