San Francisco police issued a serious warning for women Monday following two recent sexual assaults in the Mission District and the neighboring Noe Valley area.

On Monday night, police shared how they're trying to find the suspect as residents reacted to the news of the attacks.

Women KTVU spoke with in the area where the assaults took place said they are taking steps to protect themselves.

 "I just heard that they were pretty violent, really early in the morning," said San Francisco resident Mara McCune.

"We heard it from a friend that messaged everybody on Facebook," said another area resident who gave her name as Lisa. "And then another friend who works in a local bar down the street just put a message out saying for everybody to be careful."

San Francisco police said that in two separate incidents, women walking on 24th Street in the Mission District between 3 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. were sexually assaulted and robbed.

The latest victim was attacked early Thursday morning.

Police have released a surveillance camera picture of a man they said is a suspect in the two attacks. He's described as a black man in his mid-30s between five nine and six feet tall. He was wearing dark pants and a black hooded sweatshirt.

The case is a test for the department's recently formed Special Victims Unit which consolidates domestic violence, sex crimes and other divisions in one unit.

SVU Director Captain Antonio Parra told KTVU investigators will study domestic violence records for attacks similar to those in this case.

"We also pull from our 290 registrant program -- the sexual offender program -- which is also located within SVU for anyone on probation or parole," said Parra.

Police are asking for the public's help in this case and are warning residents to be alert not walk alone after dark.