Assault victim leaves hospital

As police continue their search for the intruder who assaulted a University Health System secretary in the Penn Tower Hotel two weeks ago, many questions remain unanswered about the incident. Police are unsure how the assailant entered the building and assaulted the woman, who was released from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania last Tuesday. And despite security enhancements, many people who work in the building are still concerned about their safety. As part of plans to accelerate security improvements in the hotel, the University hired a new security director for the building more than a week ago. Allen Cronhein, a former New York City Police officer, will become the Penn Tower's new security director within the next few days after years of working in casinos in Atlantic City, N.J. Former Director Anthony Marziani vacated the position about three weeks before the assault. Many employees working in the building say they have become more cautious since the assault and hope a similar incident will not reoccur. Toby Laiken, 53, the victim of the assault, is resting and gradually regaining strength, according to a source close to the family who requested anonymity. Her husband Jerry, who works for the University's Physical Plant department, has returned to work after two weeks off. Laiken was released January 27 after eight days in HUP, where she underwent surgery for the deep lacerations to the jaw and eye socket she received during the assault. Laiken's colleagues in the sixth-floor Cancer Center office where she works described her "a great, great person" with "amazing" dedication that was exemplified by the fact that she came to the office early every morning. Laiken had just entered her office at about 5:20 a.m. January 19 when an unidentified intruder assaulted her. "It makes you cautious," said a Cancer Center secretary on Laiken's floor. "I never thought this place to be an unsafe place to work, but it makes you think." "I just hope it's a one-time thing," said another employee working at the ground-floor gift store in the building. "We've never had problems before. [I hope] it'll be quiet for a while after this." Police said they believe the suspect is also responsible for two other burglaries and an attempted burglary the same morning on other floors of the building, but they are unsure how the suspect entered the building. After the incident, Health System Security Director Alfred Glogower said his top priority was an immediate upgrade of the building's security. Glogower held meetings designed to allow employees of the Penn Tower and the Health System could voice security concerns and learn self-defense tactics. Also, during the week following the assault, he doubled the amount of security guards on duty. Glogower said he is in the process of hiring permanent security guards to add to the current 12-member force that patrols the building.

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