Information on Loughborough

Police launch Operation Quayside

Posted on 30/04/2009

police,constabulary,leicestershire police Police launch Operation Quayside

Police have stepped up patrols in the city centre after a series of assaults on women.

A dedicated investigation, crime prevention and community reassurance operation, Operation Quayside, has been launched in the Clarendon Park and Westcotes areas of Leicester.

It was prompted after detectives identified a series of similarities between a number of assaults on white women, most of whom are aged between 18 and 25.

A man comes up behind the women and grabs them on the chest or bottom area. The incident is normally over very quickly as the man runs off when the women scream or struggle.

All of the assaults have happened at the weekend with most being between 3am and 7am.

Police want to stress that there is a strong possibility that these incidents are linked, but they cannot say at this stage that the same offender is definitely responsible for them all.

PC Sophie McMahon from City CID said: "We're issuing this media appeal to reassure women, not scare them. We want people to know that we've put lots of things in place to try and catch the person responsible and prevent people being victims again.

"None of the women involved in these incidents have been seriously injured but they're obviously very troubling.

"We don't want to make women frightened to walk the streets of Leicester but there are two very good reasons for making women aware.

"Firstly, they can take steps to prevent themselves being a victim by doing things such as sticking to busy routes where they are not likely to be walking alone.

"Secondly, there may be women who were victims to this man who have not reported the crimes against them to us yet.

"Operation Quayside has been launched in the areas where we feel women are most at risk of this man.

"Local officers are paying particular attention to the areas where the offences have occurred and any reports of similar indecencies will be given a priority response to give us the best opportunity to catch the offender.

"We believe we've had at least six offences so far this year by the same offender. It's very difficult to draw links between offences such as these as they will invariably happen in locations and at times of day where people might be moving about, either coming home from clubs or on their way to work.

"The fact he approaches women from behind also adds its own challenges in terms of drawing up links. However, we've done some analysis and based on the time of the offences, day of the week, location, description of the offender and his method of assault, we feel that there are at least six offences that have happened in 2009.

"We're also looking at the possibility that there are offences from further back in time that may be linked and think we may have four during autumn and winter of last year."

The man is described as white, aged 30 to 40-years-old 5'6" to 5'7" tall and of stocky build. He wears a beanie hat and does not talk to the women during the assault.

As well as increased patrols and the priority response local officers have delivered leaflets to houses in the areas affected.

Many women were making their way to and from work so posters have also been placed in relevant local businesses, with shift patterns that cover those times the offences took place, to display in their staff rooms.

Police are also working closely with the university and the student population and are working on developing a specially dedicated Facebook page.

They've also worked with offender and geographical profilers to try and gain more of an understanding of the psychology behind the offender.

Constable McMahon continued: "I just want to repeat the reassurance message and stress that Operation Quayside is not about scaring people, it's about making people aware that we are doing a number of things to keep people safe and bring this offender to justice."

Anyone with any information about these crimes, who feels they may know the offender or thinks they have been a victim, is asked to contact DC 4587 Sophie McMahon from City Serious Crime Team on Leicester (0116) 222 2222, follow the instructions to leave a message for an officer and when prompted key in his identification number 4587. Alternatively, people can call Crimestoppers free* and anonymously on 0800 555 111.

* Some mobile phone providers may charge for this call