Due to clever police work the Elsburg SAPS have managed to nab a man on suspicion of being a serial rapist on Monday.
The GCN reported on two rapes that took place in the Elsburg area, recently (GCN, May 16).
At that point the Elsburg police said that they were looking for the alleged rapists in both incidents.
It now appears to have been the same man.
Among the victims, was a 19-year-old school girl, who was confronted while walking home from school.
The suspect would also sometimes pose as a landlord with rooms to rent in the Elsburg area.
Once he had met his “prey” he would talk them into going to secluded places with him where he would threaten them with a kitchen knife and then rape them.
Sgt Mduduzi Nhlabathi, on behalf of the Germiston Cluster commander said, “The Elsburg SAPS officers came up with an idea to bring the perpetrator to book.
“They left the contact details of ‘potential clients’ on the noticeboards of various malls, as well as at other businesses in the area, with the view of catching the alleged perpetrator.
“After the man contacted the ‘potential client’ who was actually a policewoman, the police placed members at strategic points along the route the police thought the man might take the policewoman.”
A meeting spot was agreed upon by the suspect and the policewoman and the suspect.
“The said meeting took place and the suspect thinking he had another victim asked her to come with him to the house he wanted to rent her,” said Nhlabathi.
“They both walked in the direction indicated by the man towards the spot he uses to allegedly rape his victims, when the cops sprang out and arrested him.”
The investigation as of now has positively linked him to five cases of rape in the Elsburg area and police are continuing to investigate to see if he can be linked to any more cases.
The alleged serial rapist is 32 years old and rents a room in Elsburg.
He is currently being detained at the Elsburg Police Station and is due to appear in the Germiston Magistrates Court appearing in court tomorrow, May 15.
