Residents in Arleta were being warned Wednesday about a prowler who may be escalating into a sexual predator after three break-ins in less than a week, authorities said.

The most recent incident occurred Sept. 2. around 11:30 p.m. at a home on Bracken Avenue.

A 54-year-old woman was lying on her couch when a man entered the home and grabbed her crotch, LAPD Detective Marc Madero stated in a news release.

She was able to fight off the attacker, but was severely beaten in the process, according to the release.

The same man was believed responsible for two similar incidents in the same neighborhood over the last week, Madero said.

The first incident happened just a few doors down from the most recent attack on Bracken Avenue.

In that case, a woman was lying in bed when she heard a noise outside her window around 12:30 a.m.

She went back to sleep only to be awakened again by a man standing in her bedroom.

When she screamed, the man dove out the window head first, Madero said.

The third incident was reported by a man living a few blocks away who spotted a man trying to get inside his home in the 9400 block of Nagle Avenue.

“The greatest concern is the suspect’s actions are becoming bolder, with the last incident being an actual attack on a woman,” Madero said.  “We want the neighborhood in the vicinity of Osborne and Nagle Streets to be alert, keep windows and doors locked, and listen for clues like barking dogs late at night.

The man was described as Hispanic about 5 feet 10 inches tall with a thin build.  In one case he was described wearing a baseball cap with NY on it.

Witnesses said he spoke Spanish, and might be escaping in a vehicle.

“This suspect has shown he’s not afraid of confronting residents and his last contact shows he may be less interested in stealing property as attacking women,” Madero said.

Anyone with information was urged to call LAPD Mission Detectives, at 818-838-9969.