Suspect in series of Philadelphia rapes, robberies suspected of similar crimes in 7 other states
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia officials have announced formal charges against an Indiana man accused in a series of gunpoint robberies and sexual assaults across the city last week.
Kevin Bennett, 28, was arrested in Marion County, Indiana over the weekend and will be extradited back to Philadelphia.
Authorities say Bennett has been connected to at least seven incidents, which happened between May 15 and May 18.
"This is a predatory rapist, who is committing other crimes as well," Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Monday.
Krasner went on to clarify that Bennett's alleged criminal activity was not confined to Philadelphia or Pennsylvania. He added that he was speaking with "some level of caution" because there are other pending investigations involving Bennett.
Authorities say Bennett also faces charges in Indianapolis and is suspected of similiar crimes in six other states.
"Over the course of four days, Kevin Bennett terrorized and assaulted numerous women in Philadelphia," said Assistant District Attorney Branwen McNabb. "Due to the courage of these victims coming forward and the outstanding investigation by the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI this dangerous offender was taken into custody on Saturday.
According to investigators, the first incident happened on May 15 around 2:45 a.m. when a female employee left the Sin City club on the 6100 block of Passyunk Avenue. She says she was followed to her home in Media, Delaware County by a man who was driving a silver Dodge Charger. The woman’s boyfriend was home and the suspect fled the scene.
Kevin Bennett (Philadelphia Police Department)
A second incident was reported on May 16 when a woman left Delilah's Gentlemen’s Club on the 100 block of Spring Garden Street at midnight. Police say the woman was driving home to West Norriton Township. At some point, she realized a gray Dodge Charger was following her. She tried to evade the vehicle by making several turns and eventually went to a Wawa in an attempt to get the vehicle tag, but the tag was obstructed due to a tag cover. The woman called 911 and made a report with the West Norriton Township Police Department. She later identified Bennett as the man following her.
The same night on the 3400 block of North 11th Street around 5 a.m., a woman was in her car when she noticed a man exit a vehicle that was parked several cars ahead of her. The man approached her, pointed a silver handgun at her and demanded she exit her car. Police say the man moved her to an alley and sexually assaulted the victim.
MORE: Police arrest suspect accused in rapes, stalking incidents in Philadelphia area
On May 17, around 9:30 p.m., on the 1500 block of Hamilton Street police say a woman left her job at The Oasis club at 6700 Essington Avenue and drove home. When she entered her apartment parking garage, a gray Dodge Charger, piggybacked the security gate opening and followed her vehicle. The woman normally parks on the first level but continued to the third level. The suspect parked three cars from her, then walked around, according to police. The woman managed to exit the garage and called 911.
On May 18, around midnight, a woman was returning from Cheerleaders sports club on the 2700 block of South Front Street when she witnessed an unknown man in her apartment complex on the 900 block of North 8th Street. The man slid along the wall towards the woman who ran screaming to a neighbor’s apartment before fleeing the scene. Police say video recovered shows a man in dark clothing entering the building behind residents.
Later that morning, around 10:20 a.m., two women told police that a man posed as an electrical worker and gained access to their apartment. Once inside, he sexually assaulted the women at gunpoint, according to police.
McNabb says the women recognized Bennett while he was in the apartment because he had been at Cheerleaders the night before.
"We believe he frequents these places and then he follows the girls home believing they have money," Special Victims Unit Captain Mark Burgmann said.
Investigators were able to identify Bennett as a suspect and determined that a 2010 gray Dodge Charger, matching the description of the one spotted in each incident, was registered to him in Indiana.
When Bennett was arrested Saturday, he was found to have been in possession of two firearms, one of which matched the description of the gun used in the assaults and robberies.
Once extradited back to Philadelphia, Bennett will face multiple charges, including multiple counts of rape, burglary, robbery, weapons violations and related offenses.
Police say they have forensic evidence from the crime scenes and believe he may have done this before.
Upper Merion police say they believe Bennett was also involved in an attempted kidnapping at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on May 18 around 4 p.m.
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Suspect sought in Philadelphia sex assaults also wanted in Upper Merion hotel attack
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