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After three years of incidents involving someone investigators dubbed the ‘Etobicoke prowler’, Toronto police have now made two arrests in this case. The male is accused of breaking into homes and sexual assaulting victims while they’re in bed. But it’s a husband and wife that are now in custody in connection to the series of break-ins in the city’s west end. Police describe the man as a ‘serial sexual predator’. He is facing 95 charges.
The reaction on the street in parts of Toronto’s west end from residents learning that police arrested the man they think is the ‘Etobicoke prowler’ was one of relief:
“I think it’s great news finally. There’s a lot of break-ins on the street that I live on so I’m really happy to know that they’ve caught him and hopefully we’re safe once again.”
“My daughter lives in the neighbourhood and I know that they’ve been more cautious lately particularly of keeping their doors locked and that sort of thing.”
Toronto police allege 32-year-old Anieph Fitzroy Burton broke into homes, sometimes sexually assaulting victims over a three-year period between August 2011 and August 2014. He’s facing more than 90 charges stemming from 59 incidents.
His 31-year-old wife Jehanneiry Beaton is facing charges related to 7 break and enters.
In many of the assaults, police say victims woke up to find a man inside their home.
Toronto Police Inspector Joanna Beaven-Desjardins: “When someone actually enters your home where you feel safe, especially at night when you are sleeping and you’re awoken to a predator like this, I’d say it’s one of the most heinous crimes.”
People living here in the Royal York and Norseman neighbourhood say it’s been at least 2 years of taking extra precaution when locking up at night, especially for women living on their own.
“I was really scared because I lived right in the area where he was supposedly targeting, so it was right in my neighbourhood, so I was petrified.”
But police say it seems there was no specific target.
Inspector Beaven-Desjardins: “Any of the sexual assaults the ages ranged dramatically. It was perhaps sometimes a crime of opportunity.”
Police say they believe there may be many more victims in Toronto and in the Peel region. Friday, Hamilton police told us they’re not aware of any connection to the case in this city.
