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Pitt Police Investigate Burglaries, Attempted Sexual Assault In Off-Campus Housing

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pitt Police are investigating two incidents that involved a man climbing into off-campus student housing.

The first time, the victim was able to scare off the intruder by screaming. The second time, the victim reports the man tried to sexually assault her.

There was no sign of forced entry either time.

Pitt Police issued a crime alert and suspect description on Friday morning.

They're looking for an African-American male in his early 20's, about 6 feet tall, with an athletic build and short hair.

He was described as wearing a black t-shirt, camo shorts and black boots.

Officers could be seen placing bright orange fliers on doors Friday warning residents.

"It just makes all of us nervous because we are five young women," said Kathleen Begley of Oakland.

Kathleen and roommates are recent Pitt graduates who live on Oakland Avenue, right where the two incidents happened.

The first occurred Sunday when a man climbed into a woman's window, but he ran when she screamed and she wasn't hurt.

The latest was around 4 a.m. Friday morning. A woman told police that a man she didn't know had entered her Oakland Avenue home and attempted to sexually assault her while she was sleeping. She said he also burglarized her house.

The victim told police she struggled with the man before he ran out the back door, fleeing northbound on foot towards Sennett Street. She was not seriously hurt.

"So we thought we're in the safest area we can possibly be in. But there's not many houses around us so to know that someone two houses down might not be safe -- it's just kind of sickening," said Kaitlin Morris of Oakland

The blue campus emergency alert lights were blinking near campus as a warning Friday. Those living in the area had already received text alerts and were taking the police vigilance seriously.

"It's very unnerving," Begley told KDKA News. "We were all kind of talking this morning about how that could have been our house ... it's just really scary. And I'm glad that the person is okay."

The residents who spoke to KDKA say they're all carrying mace. There is also a SafeRider program that students can call so they don't have to walk alone.

Pitt Police are asking people living in the area to stay vigilant and lock up. If anyone sees a man matching the suspect's description, police say to call them.

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