Night Stalker could have struck again

4:45pm Tuesday 5th August 2008

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THE Night Stalker, suspected of a series of sex attacks on pensioners, could have struck in West Wickham overnight, police have revealed.

He has committed 108 offences dating back to 1992, although officers believe the offences could go back as far as 1990.

These include four rapes and 31 indecent assaults, one on an elderly man.

Most of his victims have been women, aged 68 to 93.

Wearing a balaclava, he wakes the victim by whispering to them and shining a torch in their face while he assaults them.

Officers from Operation Minstead have been informed following a burglary in the early hours of this morning in West Wickham.

A spokesman says no-one was injured during the break-in.

A woman who lives near the crime scene says there has been too much police activity for it to be just a burglary.

She says six forensics officers have been at the home since around 7.50am.

The woman, who does not want to be named, says there was a helicopter overhead early this morning.

She said: "It is definitely something bigger than a burglary.

"My neighbour said there is an elderly lady that lives in there and my neighbour thought of Operation Minstead because surely there are too many people for just a burglary.

"Hopefully nothing bad has happened to this elderly lady."

She says part of the road was closed at around 7.50am.

Another neighbour says police informed residents that the lady involved was okay.

She added: "I heard a noise early this morning but I think it was my dogs.

"Then there was a lot of helicopter activity.

"A policeman came round this morning and told me that there had been an attempted burglary and the lady involved was okay.

"Our car was stolen from the drive a while ago and we never saw it again. And a couple of years ago someone tried to get in the back window but was disturbed and ended up jumping over the fence."

Another resident described the woman who lived in the property as "a nice elderly lady" in her late 70s or early 80s.

She said: "She was one of us, I mean we all didn't have husbands."