MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – The Miami Beach Police Department has linked a DNA sample from a sexual battery to a man known as the "Coral Gables creeper."
Police said a burglary and sexual battery were reported Aug. 18 at a home in the North Beach area.
According to a case report, the woman was awakened by the man at about 5:30 a.m. She told detectives that the man began performing oral sex on her and referred to her by her first name.
She said she did not recognize the man and told him to stop multiple times.
Detectives said the man shined a flashlight on a clock on her nightstand at 6:15 a.m. and ran out of the apartment through the back door.
The victim told detectives that the man told her he was from Cuba and told her that he would not hurt her.
"The results indicate a link between our case and those in the City of Miami and Coral Gables," Miami Beach police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said. "We will be redoubling our efforts to alert the community of this fugitive, and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to apprehend this subject."
Earlier this month, Coral Gables police released an enhanced composite sketch of the man who is believed to have broken into numerous homes in Coral Gables and Miami since last year. In each case, female victims have been home alone and have awakened to find a person standing near them.
Detectives said some of the women were sexually assaulted.
In a case from May, a Coral Gables woman said she was sleeping when she woke up to find a man standing over her, covering her mouth with his hands.
Police said the woman had left the kitchen hallway light on, but the man unscrewed the light bulb from the socket enough to disable it.
The woman told detectives that the man was wearing gloves and told her that he was 19 years old. She said she told him, "You're wearing gloves. I promise not to move or look for 10 seconds if you would just leave."
She said she closed her eyes and the man quickly left her apartment.
Police described the man as having olive-colored skin and believe he is in his 20s to early 30s. They said he often wears a hooded sweatshirt or other material to conceal his identity.
Police also described the man as a loner and stalker, someone who is socially awkward and immature.
Anyone with information about the identity of the man is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
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