Philadelphia Police have deployed a search operation for a man suspected of raping a woman inside a Macy’s department store.
The incident took place Sunday morning at the Macy’s on 1300 Walnut Street. As reported by NBC10 Philadelphia, the victim, a 55-year-old woman was shopping with her husband when she went to the third floor of the store to use the bathroom. At that moment she was attacked and sexually assaulted by an unidentified man who was holding 12-inch cooking skewers, according to investigators.
You can read: Authorities ask for public’s assistance in Olney shooting
Police obtained surveillance video of the suspect who is described as a thin man in his 20’s. He was last seen wearing a surgical mask, black hoody, black pants with white stripes on the left leg, black sneakers with white around the sole, three quarter length jacket with a hood and white writing on the left shoulder with possibly four buttons on each sleeve.
Jumped over the stall
Investigators believe the suspect was waiting for the woman inside the bathroom for about 20 minutes. Philadelphia Police SVU Capt. Mark Burgmann said that the suspect had jumped over the stall. “When the woman went inside the bathroom he was in the stall. He jumped over the stall into her stall.”
Reports indicate that after the attack, he left the store, boarded a SEPTA Market Frankford Line train at 13th and Market streets around 11:45 a.m. He was last seen leaving the SEPTA station at 52nd and Market streets.
Officials reported that no one heard anything until the woman came out of the bathroom and called the police.
Authorities are asking to call the Philadelphia Police Special Victim’s Unit at 215-685-3252 if there is any public information about the suspect´s whereabouts.