News Nearby: Police Chief Credits "Unprecedented Cooperation" in Arrest of Suspect in Rape Attacks

The cooperation received from surrounding departments and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office was key to the arrest of the man police say raped two local women earlier this month, Ross Township Police Chief Robert Bellan said Thursday evening at a special Crime Watch meeting held at the municipal center. 

DNA results, , typically take six months to process, he said. Ross Township received results in about one week. 

"The fact that we got it as rapidly as we did is absolutely unprecedented," Bellan said. "The way that you see it on TV, that's not real life. This is as close to being on the TV show as we've ever seen it." 

Police did not get into many details of the investigation at the meeting, which was offered  that two women, both in their mid-20s and living in apartment complexes, were attacked by an unknown man in the early morning hours after returning from walking their dogs.  He was arrested Thursday at about 3 a.m. after a two-hour standoff with police in the Hill District of the city of Pittsburgh. 

"We do all breathe a sigh of relief today," said Police spokesman Sgt. Benjamin Dripps as the meeting began. "Hopefully we can all begin a bit of a healing process." 

About two dozen people attended Thursday's meeting. Crime Watch Coordinator and Police Officer Mike Thomas offered residents a number of tips to stay safe. Chief among them were to lock doors and windows and use lights around homes. 

"Locks and lights. They really do work," he said. 

He also offered tips for helping the police in the event anyone found themselves a victim or witness to a crime. Detailed descriptions are invaluable, he said. Pay attention to what the attacker is wearing and what color vehicle he or she is driving. "Is it big or small? What stands out? It's gray. Is it light gray or silver?" 

Thomas said the department holds three township-wide Crime Watch meetings each year, but he's open to speaking to any group that wants to make the invitation. 

"There is no neighborhood in Ross who has a crime watch," Thomas said. "You get the people, I'll come out and talk and we'll get it rolling." 

John Perri, a resident in the Cascades Apartment complex who attended the meeting, said that hearing the news of Henderson's arrest felt like a Spring day after a long, dark winter. 

"I'll tell you, I don't think I scare easily. But I haven't slept since this happened," Perri said. "I feel like a ton of weight was taken off of my chest today." 

"I was relieved," said Susan Andrezejewski, of Ross, who also attended the meeting.

She said she almost didn't attend after she heard the news of the arrest, but her husband, Michael, a volunteer fireman with the Quaill Fire Department, wants to start a crime watch in their neighborhood and wanted to hear what the police had to say.

"I thought it was very informative," she said. 

Melissa Vietmeier, who lives in the Woodhawk Club Apartments with her 8-year-old son, said she too was interested in getting a Crime Watch started. She said that when she heard the news of the attack, she had a naive thought:

"Are you kidding me? In this area?"

This story originally ran on North Hills Patch.