Police investigate Society Hill attacks

Philadelpha police are investigating a string of brazen attacks in Society Hill in which women have been choked and robbed, police said Sunday night.

Since late June, seven women have been attacked on small Society Hill streets, alleys and walkways, mostly in the area of 4th and Spruce, according to a police bulletin.

The robberies had a similar pattern: The suspects approached from behind, grabbed the women around their necks, choking them, sometimes into unconsciousness, and then robbing them of their handbags, wallets or laptop computers, police said.

None of attacks was fatal and none of the women were sexually assaulted police said. Some were treated for minor injuries and released.

But in the most recent incident, a 61-year-old woman was attacked in the kitchen of her home near 9th and Spruce Street on Saturday night after watering flowers in her garden. She remained hospitalized Sunday night.

She will undergo surgery Monday to repair fractured cartilage in her neck, said her husband, who asked that he and his wife not be identified.

"She can only talk in a whisper right now," he said. "Doctors are not sure how much of her voice will return."

Witnesses have been unable to provide many details.

In the first six attacks, the assailant was described as a black man. In Saturday's, the woman said her attacker was white.

The attacks have occurred in the morning, afternoon and night hours, police said.

Around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the 61-year-old woman, a book publisher who moved with her husband into Center City from Doylestown eight months ago, had just finished watering some flowers in her garden, said her husband.

She had left the back door open, and when she came inside to wash out her bucket, she felt an arm around her neck, her husband said.

She lost consciousness and woke up about five minutes later, said her husband, who was upstairs in the house at the time.

The suspect left without taking anything, said the husband, believing he might have inadvertently scared away the attacker when he turned on a vacuum cleaner.

Police have increased patrols in the area and deployed plainclothes officers in the area. They are asking residents to call 911 if they see a suspicious person. Also, women should walk on busy streets, avoiding side streets and alleys, police said.