Intruder reports reveal pattern

Early morning visits by unknown man include sex assault

Lawrence Police are investigating a rash of odd home invasions.

They are looking for leads in at least five cases since June 1 in which young women were awakened between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. to find an unknown man in their bedroom.

One of the cases is being investigated as a sexual assault.

“There are lots of times when these things go unreported — when people chalk it up to people making a mistake and just being in the wrong place,” said Sgt. Mike Pattrick, a spokesman for the Lawrence Police Department. “Do we know about them all? That’s what my concern would be.”

Pattrick said there were no signs of forced entry in any of the intrusions. Police can’t say for sure the cases are connected, but Pattrick said the circumstances of each were similar. The intrusions have occurred in different parts of Lawrence, not confined to a single neighborhood.

In the case being investigated as a sexual assault, a woman told police the intruder made “inappropriate physical contact” with her as she lay in bed about 4:30 a.m. June 1, Pattrick said.

In a different case, a man entered three Kansas University students’ bedrooms at their apartment in the 1100 block of Louisiana Street. He got into bed with one of the women and touched another on the shoulder, residents said.

Residents of the apartment said the man told them he was looking for “Michelle” and that he left quickly after being confronted.

“He must have been walking around our house for like 10 or 15 minutes,” said 21-year-old Diane Disher, a KU student.

Pattrick, the police spokesman, had simple advice for people who don’t want to wake up to a strange man standing over the bed.

“Bottom line: Lock your door. Make your residence secure,” he said. “Don’t make it easy for someone who doesn’t belong in your home to get into your home.”

— 6 News anchor Janet Reid contributed information for this article.

Lawrence Police are investigating at least five incidents so far this month in which women said they awoke to find a man inside their apartment:

¢ About 4:30 a.m. June 1, a woman awoke to find a stranger in her bed. She told police he made inappropriate physical contact with her, and police are investigating it as a possible sexual assault. Police didn’t release the location of the incident.

¢ About 5 a.m. June 8 in the 1100 block of Tennessee Street, a 21-year-old bank employee awoke to find an unknown man standing by her bed. She asked why he was there, and he turned around and left.

¢ About 3:30 a.m. June 9 in the 2500 block of West 31st Street, a 21-year-old Kansas University student woke up with an unknown man standing over her bed. He immediately left.

¢ About 4 a.m. June 9 in the 2700 block of Crestline Drive, a 21-year-old woman awoke to find a man standing over her bed. She screamed. He said he was looking for a woman by a different name and left.

¢ Shortly before 5 a.m. June 9 in the 1100 block of Louisiana Street, a man entered three bedrooms inside the same apartment. The women called police after they realized he’d come into all of their rooms.