Connected to 11 rapes so far, say police
Hermanus police arrest suspected serial rapist
DNA link to man in late twenties
A suspected serial rapist has been arrested in Hermanus after a three-year crime spree.
Police yesterday said forensic evidence linked the suspect to at least 11 cases.
Western Cape police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said the 29-year-old man, who cannot be named until he pleads in court, was arrested on Monday.
Van Wyk said the suspected serial rapist was believed to have been linked to multiple rapes in the Zwelihle area of Hermanus between September 2015 and March 2018.
During the probe, the dockets were handed over to the serial and electronic crimes investigations team of the family violence, child protection, and sexual offences unit in 2016.
“By that time, there were five cases with the same modus operandi. All the cases were linked by the same DNA.
"The identity of the suspect was unknown. According to the victims, an unknown male in his mid- to late twenties approached them while they were walking alone in the Zwelihle informal settlement.
"He then forced them, mostly with a knife, to walk with him to a deserted area where they were robbed and raped.
"Most of the crime scenes were an old dump site known as the "MOP". In most cases, the suspect had a balaclava or stocking over his face which made identifying the suspect very difficult,” he said.
Van Wyk said on March 3 another woman was raped by a suspect using the same modus operandi.
Shortly after midnight the following day, police officers on patrol spotted a suspicious man in the vicinity of the dump site.
“They arrested the 29-year-old male and detained him at Hermanus on the last rape case. He was found in possession of a balaclava, a stocking, a knife and a roll of toilet paper,” he said.
“Due to a lack of evidence, he was subsequently released.”
Van Wyk added that at the time of his arrest, police had taken a DNA buccal swab which was then sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory.
Last week the swab sample linked the man to 11 cases.
The man appeared in the Hermanus Magistrate's Court on Monday and has been remanded in custody until his next appearance next week Monday.
