Etobicoke sex assault hotline set up

Sep 21, 2012 | News

Highway 27 and the West Humber Trail Bridge is one site where a 22-year-old woman was sexually assaulted. One of the many assaults that occurred in Etobicoke in the past 2 months. PHOTO BY BRIAR HOPLEY

By Briar Hopley

A hotline has been set up to accommodate numerous phone calls and tips in the ongoing investigation into the Etobicoke sex assaults and break-ins.

“Information from the community was helping in the investigation so they wanted to have a single point of contact for the community to call into,” said Toronto Police spokesperson Meaghan Gray.

A news release from Toronto Police reports that on Friday, Sept. 7 at 3:10 a.m. in the Bloor Street West and Islington Avenue area, a 62-year-old woman was sleeping in her home when a man broke in and sexually assaulted her.

In the Royal York and Norseman area at 3:30 a.m. on the same day, a 49-year-old woman noticed a man trying to break into her home. The man fled the scene before anything serious developed.

About ten minutes later in the Royal York and Queensway area, a 70 year-old woman who was sleeping in her home was sexually assaulted after a man gained entry into her home.

“The police are having an ongoing canvas they are going around and speaking to those that live within the affected community,” said Gray about the canvas occurring this weekend.

The Etobicoke area has the support of volunteers and Humber security.

“Students need to support police to be vigilant in practicing safety behavior and watching for suspicious activity and reporting it,” said Henri Berube, program coordinator of police foundations at Humber.

“Our security department is one of the best but they can’t do it by themselves.”

Toronto Police are urging the community to contact their hotline with any information they may have that could assist the investigation.

The hotline can be reached at  416-808-2280.