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After the 5/17/77 threat to kill his next two victims, Sacramento
County was in a state of near hysteria. Citizens were demanding
that something be done. Sheriff patrols were stepped up as well
as undercover stakeouts. Citizen's Band radio operators organized
by a local dentist began their own patrols. They were known as
East Area Rapist Surveillance (EARS) Patrols. The local dentist
added $10,000 of his own money to the $15,000 reward offered by
the Sacramento Bee's Secret Witness program.
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The increased Sheriff patrols and the CBer EARS patrols
had an affect. On 5/28/77, the East Area Rapist struck
again for the 24th time. This time he attacked a couple
for the first time in the South Area of Sacramento.
It was as if he was making a point: you can't stop me.
And if that point was not clear enough, his victim lived
several blocks from the office of the dentist who put
up the additional $10,000 and organized the EARS patrol.
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The summer of 1977 came and went without any reported
EAR attacks. The intense search for the rapist yielded
no viable suspects. On September 6, 1977, the EAR resurfaced,
this time further South, attacking a couple in Stockton,
CA. The EAR was now Stockton's problem and Stockton citizens
reacted much the same way as Sacramento citizens did:
gun and locks sales were way up.
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The intensity of the Sheriff and EARS patrol
had dissipated, in part because it was financially unfeasible
and in part because the EAR had moved to Stockton. On
October 2, 1977, the EAR returned to the area of his namesake,
attacking a couple in the College Greens/Glenbrook area.
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