Police In Maywood Searching For Suspect Who Breaks Into Homes To Grope Women, Children

MAYWOOD (CBSLA.com)   –  Police in Maywood are searching for a sexual battery suspect and burglar they say has been breaking into homes and groping women and children.

The man has struck several times in the past several weeks, authorities said.

The latest incident they said happened about 4 a.m. Saturday morning.

KCAL9's Laurie Perez spoke to area residents who are on edge.

"It's very scary. I'm very scared for my family, my neighbors and everybody around," said one woman who didn't want to show her face or give her name.

She told Perez she is worried she could be the next victim.

"I been listening that this has been happening for about four weeks and they don't catch the people doing this and a lot of people is scared," she said.

At  4 this morning, deputies said a man forced his way into a home on East 58th Street.

They say the suspect put his hand over a 14-year-old girl's mouth as she was sleeping.

Authorities said the man only took off after the mother said she heard a noise and came to check.

Since early October, it's the fifth such incident officials believe was committed by the same man.

The suspect is described as a Latino in his early 20s, a thin build, about 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall.

Until the suspect is captured, Maywood neighbors told Perez they are not going to sleep soundly, if they sleep at all.

"It's really terrifying to know you can be in your house, in your private home, and someone walks in and you can't sleep because then you know people are gonna walk in your house and break in," said Dora Martinez.