Police investigate report of groping on South Street

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) Police say they are investigating a report of a woman groped on South Street.

"I'm appalled," said one woman of several women out walking Wednesday evening. They were caught off guard by what police say happened on South Street just before 11 o'clock Monday night.

"That's very frightening. It's frightening to know we have that kind of random violence in this neighborhood," said Cynthia Oldes.

Police say a 30-year-old woman tells them while walking near the intersection of 10th and South Street a man on a bike rode by, groped her and kept going.

"I'm always alert," said Tanae Franklin when we told her about the incident. She was out strolling baby Chase.

"It doesn't surprise me because stuff like this happens everywhere," said Franklin. She says she's always aware of her surroundings.

"Always just because majority of times I have my nieces so I'm always looking around," she said.

Police don't have much of a description of the suspect. The victim tells investigators the man had a black backpack with an orange stripe on it.

"I am tempted to go down this alley because I love looking at the artwork but I also think oh my God I should be on a more travelled street," said Oldes. She says she moved to the area to escape violence her family suffered in Northern Liberties but now she feels things aren't much better here.

"We thought this was a safe neighborhood but when we've talked about the neighborhood with police they always have horror stories," she said.

Philadelphia Police's Special Victims Unit is investigating.