Police increase patrols after rape and sex assault
GooglePolice are stepping up patrols in an area of Oxfordshire after one woman was raped and another was sexually assaulted.
Thames Valley Police said a woman in her late teens was raped by an unknown man near Mably Way, in Wantage, on Tuesday.
On Wednesday a woman in her late twenties was also approached by an unknown man in the nearby village of Grove and sexually assaulted on Main Street.
A further attempted sexual assault happened in Grove on Saturday, and the force said it was "keeping an open mind" about whether the incidents were linked.
Oxfordshire chief inspector Andrew O'Hanlon said it was doing everything it could to identify those responsible.
A man riding a bicycle approached the woman in her late teens as she walked along Grove Road at around 23:15 GMT on Tuesday.
He led her to an area behind Mably Way where he raped her, before leaving the area on his bike, which is described as black with a white frame
The suspect is described as a man of mixed ethnic background, believed to be in his mid-30s, approximately 5ft 6in, with short black hair.
'Deeply traumatic'
A woman in her late 20s was sexually assaulted as she walked along Main Street in Grove at around 21:30 GMT on 21 January.
The offender was described as a man of mixed ethnic background, believed to be in his 60s, approximately 5ft 7in, and with stubble.
On Saturday a woman in her 40s was walking along Mayfield Avenue, in Grove, at around 23:50 when a lone man of mixed ethnic background and with facial scarring attempted to sexual assault her.
No arrests have been made in connection with any of the incidents.
Ch Insp O'Hanlon said: "We understand that incidents like these can be worrying for local residents, and I want to reassure everyone in Wantage and Grove that we are doing everything we can to investigate what has happened and to identify those responsible.
"The safety of the community is our priority, and a great deal of work is taking place to support this investigation.
"Our investigation is progressing quickly, and a significant number of inquiries are ongoing.
"This is a complex and challenging investigation that is deeply traumatic for those involved, and we are working at the pace of the victims while continuing to keep the community updated as information develops."
You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
