Crime & Safety
Man Wanted For Grabbing 2 Women On The Upper West Side: Police
The man is accused of running away after grabbing two women on the Upper West Side, police said.
UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Police are looking for a man accused of grabbing three women in New York City in recent months, including two incident authorities say took place on the Upper West Side.
The NYPD is looking for Jovan Villafane, 42, in connection with the three forcible touching incidents, police said on Tuesday.
Around 12:50 p.m. on Oct. 8, a 45-year-old woman was walking near the intersection of West End Avenue and West 72nd Street, when a man on a Citibike approached her and grabbed her butt, police said.
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The man then fled on the bike, and there were no injuries reported.
After a similar incident in the West Village in November, another woman was grabbed on the Upper West Side in December, police said.
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A 21-year-old woman was walking on Dec. 8 about 3 p.m. in front of 351 W. 71st St., between West End and Riverside, when a man appeared behind her and grabbed her butt, police said.
He then ran away west on West 71st Street and Riverside, police said. There were no injuries reported, police added.
Anyone with information is being asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
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