Police search for Westside assaulters

Deepa Bharath

Police are asking for the community’s help in finding the men

responsible for assaulting women in five separate incidents in the

city’s Westside.

Costa Mesa police on Wednesday released a composite drawing of the

man they believe attacked a 24-year-old woman Friday night near the

intersection of Victoria and Miner streets.

The assailant reportedly grabbed the woman from behind, touched

her inappropriately, pushed her to the ground and got on top of her,

police said. He is said to be about 23 years old, 5-foot-6, weighing

about 190 pounds, wearing tan shorts and same color shirt and

baseball cap, police said.

So far, police have very few eyewitness accounts, mostly just

reports from the victims, Costa Mesa Police Lt. John FitzPatrick

said.

“We’ve solved some of our most complex crimes with help from the

community,” he said. “The people out in the community are our eyes

and ears. We need them to make this a safer city.”

Police are also working on composite drawings of other men who

they believe may be involved in the crimes, based on descriptions

from other victims, FitzPatrick said.

The assaults, almost all of which targeted women walking alone on

the street, have plagued the Westside since January. Three of those

incidents have happened in broad daylight.

Costa Mesa police are still looking for four men suspected of

grabbing and inappropriately touching three women on separate

occasions on the same stretch of Victoria Street in early January.

All three incidents happened between the 500 and 600 blocks of

Victoria Street, police said.

The assaults will be treated as “sexual battery,” FitzPatrick

said.

Costa Mesa City Councilman Allan Mansoor, who lives on the

Westside, said the assaults are shocking.

“It’s terrible when things like this happen in our city,” he said.

Mansoor said families must take steps to protect themselves.

“People must be vigilant and aware of their surroundings,” he

said. “They should take precautions, use a buddy system and avoid

walking alone if they can.”

Anyone with information about the assailants is asked to call the

Costa Mesa Police Department at (714) 754-5281.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@ latimes.com.