Cops seek help in finding masked rapist

A masked rapist with a rifle entered a Stony Brook home recently and sexually assaulted a woman, Suffolk police said Friday in asking for the public's help to find the suspect.

He got into the house through an unlocked door about 11 p.m. or 11:30 p.m. Nov. 20, police said. After sexually assaulting the woman, he stole some items and left, police said.

The man wore dark clothing, was about 5 feet 10 inches tall and had a medium build, police said.

Police declined to release other details, including the name of the street and items stolen, to protect the woman's identity.

Similar incidents have not been reported in the area, police said, and residents should not be concerned that any burglaries in the area are being committed by the same suspect.

"It's a different type of person that would do this as opposed to a burglary where they're going in, taking jewelry and leaving during the day, when nobody's home," said Sixth Precinct Det. Lt. William Burke.

He wants residents to think of anyone who seemed suspicious but thought twice about calling police.

"If anybody in that area has seen anything . . . last week, they may have seen somebody hanging around in the neighborhood that they didn't like the look of but they blew it off," Burke said. "Now when they read this, they may say 'Hey, maybe somebody should take a look at this guy.'

"We're looking at everything, because we don't have a real direction yet."

Sixth Precinct detectives ask anyone with information to call them at 631-854-8652 or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.