Philadelphia Police have arrested Manuel Cintron, 24, in connection with the kidnapping and sexual assault that took place in Kensington on the 2000 block of East York Street May 1 and has terrified the neighborhood ever since. Cintron, who grew up in Kensington, was arrested on the 700 block of Princeton Avenue. Michelle Vanguilder, who grew up with Cintron in Kensington, had this to say:

“It was a big surprise. I didn’t think he do something like that. Maybe more women will be safer cause you don’t know what he was capable of.”

Cintron had been in hiding since the assault took place. Cintron is also suspected in another attempted kidnapping that took place an hour earlier in Logan. The woman there managed to run to a SEPTA bus and escape.

Investigators believe that Cintron saw the 22-year-old victim, drove around while he devised a plan, and then returned to abduct her while she was walking to work around 5:30 in the morning. Cintron allegedly left the vehicle and walked towards a residence as if he lived there. When the woman passed him he turned around and stuck a pistol in her back, forcing her into the car and taking her to an unknown location where the assault took place. She was released at Almond and Boston, where Cintron is believed to have taken a picture of her license. Cintron then backed down an alley so that the victim could not read his license plate.

There was a $2500 reward for information leading to Cintron’s arrest, but it is unknown at this time whether this was collected or not.  Cintron is being held on charges of abduction, sexual assault, and other related charges. Cintron’s bail is set at $1,000,000.