A registered sex offender who lives on East 1st Street was arrested in the sexual assault and robbery of an East Village woman on East 3rd Street. Police suspected John Hamlett because he was on the sex offenders' list and lived just a few blocks away; they showed his photograph to the victim, who then ID'd him. Police say that Hamlett broke into the victim's apartment through a window on last weekend, and then on Wednesday, made his way to her fourth floor apartment (the Daily news points out "despite two buzzer systems"). The victim let him in when he said he had her checkbook (he had stolen her DVD players, some computer stuff, and cash). A police source crows that the quick arrest was because of old-fashioned police work.
There was another break-in and attempted sexual assault in the same building last month, so the police will be looking at Hamlett's alibi for that time, too. And the Post reports that the victim is planning to leave New York City; he had also been robbed by 13 year old on February 27 (he had broken in through fire escape and rear window). And the consensus in the comments from yesterday's post seems to be that you should never buzz anyone you don't know up.
