The police have arrested a convicted rapist for robbing and sexually assaulting a City College student in her Hamilton Heights apartment on Thursday afternoon. Lawrence Elliot, 47, who is a registered sex offender, had been taken in for questioning yesterday, and neighbors are relieved, telling WCBS 2, "I think it’s great. I think it’s a great thing the police department did their job and made an arrest so quickly." more ›

Though he was initially arrested for jumping the turnstile at the 116th Street 6 train station, cops have charged Shon Holland, 40, for a slew of other crimes, including raping a 79-year-old woman in her apartment building in the Bronx. Holland was caught on Friday by anti-terror cops in the subway station, and when he was taken into custody cops discovered he was wanted for violating an order of protection issued to his old girlfriend. Later, detectives discovered his DNA matched a sample taken from the rape victim's clothing. more ›

Police are hoping that DNA testing may link a man they picked up in Harlem this weekend to the series of rapes that have occurred throughout Hamilton Heights over the last month. A Pennsylvania ex-con was picked up Saturday for questioning and is being held on an outstanding warrant as they await to see if his DNA matches a sample recovered from a discarded soda can during one of the four sexual assault incidents in Upper Manhattan. When the man was picked up over the weekend, he told cops, "If you're looking at me for something, I have a twin brother." (He doesn't.) But three of the four victims who have made it down to Special Victims Unit have failed to pick the suspect out of a lineup. Yesterday the Guardian Angels led a rally to continue to spread the word about the rapist. Assemblyman Keith Wright said, "This community will not rest until this person is arrested, indicted, convicted, and incarcerated." Wright is proposing $100,000 in state funds be made available for increased street lighting in the neighborhood. more ›

Police released a sketch of a man who is believed to have committed two sexual assaults in Hamilton Heights this month. According to 1010WINS, "The first incident occurred on Aug 1 around 8 p.m. Police say the man grabbed a 59-year-old woman and dragged her into an alleyway near West 148th Street and Broadway where she was sexually assaulted and robbed. On Aug 10 around 2 a.m. the man followed a 23-year-old woman into an elevator near West 144 Street and Convent Avenue where he sexually assaulted her and robbed her at knifepoint." And per the Daily News, the suspected is "described as black, in his 30s, 6 feet tall and of medium build," who wore "blue jeans, a black hooded sweatshirt and white sneakers with red stripes on the soles." People with information are urged to call CrimeStoppers (800-577-TIPS [8477]), entering tips at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577. more ›

The NYPD released surveillance footage of the suspect in the Bay Ridge rape on Wednesday. Police believe the man seen running down a street in the video raped a woman in her apartment building on Wednesday morning; he had apparently been lurking in and around the building. He is now described as "white, between 30 and 40, and about 5-foot-10 with brown hair and brown eyes." There is a $12,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Contact Crimestoppers at (800) 577-TIPS or text 274637 and enter "TIP577." more ›