A woman was injured Thursday in a residential robbery in Long Beach, and police were working to determine if the crime was committed by the same man being sought for a series of robberies and a sexual assault at a housing complex for seniors.
Thursday morning, officers were dispatched around 7:24 a.m. in response to a report of a "panic alarm" at a residence in the 3700 block of Pacific Avenue, said Marlene Arrona of the Long Beach Police Department.
"Arriving officers determined a residential robbery involving an elderly female victim occurred," Arrona said.
Paramedics took the woman to a local hospital for injuries that appeared to be not life-threatening, Arrona said.
"Officers are searching the area for a male suspect, and the investigation is ongoing," Arrona said. "It's early on in the investigation, and yet to be determined if this incident is related to (the other crimes)."
In the other four crimes, a suspect victimized women between the ages of 63 and 95 between Feb. 2 and Sunday at the senior housing complex near Atlantic Avenue and Via Carmelitos, police said. In most cases, a man knocked on the door, forced his way inside, and physically assaulted the victims, police said.
The robber got away with purses, cell phones and cash, police said. In one case, the victim was walking near the residential complex when the robbery occurred, police added.
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Sunday's incident escalated to a sexual assault, police said. A man rang the victim's doorbell, forced his way into the residence and sexually assaulted the victim before fleeing with cash. She was taken to a hospital by the Long Beach Fire Department with injuries that appeared to be not life-threatening, police said.
The four attacks were carried out at various times between 5:45 a.m. and 7:45 p.m., police said.
Detectives obtained video from surveillance cameras in the area and have released a photo of a person of interest, hoping someone will recognize him and come forward. Police described him as being between 25 and 30, 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-11 inches tall, with a thin to medium build.
Any victims who have yet to come forward were encouraged to do so, police said.
Anyone who may have information regarding the assaults is urged to call Long Beach police Sex Crimes Det. J. Kearns at 562-570-7368 or to email LBPDSexCrimes@longbeach.gov.
