Police fear TA rapist fled to West Bank
As evidence points at rapist being Arab, police voice concerns that he may flee to W. Bank where he will be harder to find. Authorities still hoping DNA, footage will help manhunt
Police expressed fears on Sunday that the man who brutally raped
a young woman in a Tel Aviv parking lot on Friday night, after forcing her and her partner to have sex in front of him, will flee to the West Bank – if he has not already done so.
Police also said it is becoming more certain that the rapist was an Arab, as the victims claimed his accent was that of an Arab man.
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According to an initial investigation, the man and woman arrived at the parking lot, which is adjacent to the Tel Aviv Municipality building, at 3:30 am on Friday night, where their car was parked.
The TA parking lot where the rape occured (Photo: Moti Kimchi)
The suspect ambushed the two and threatened them with a blunt object, forcing them into a nearby public bathroom, where he allegedly forced them to have sex, and then raped the woman himself.
Police have collected DNA samples and finger prints from the scene and are now trying to identify the perpetrator through existing files. The test results will only be available in a few days.
Meanwhile, the fact that no one has been arrested over 24 hours after the crime increases concerns among investigators that the man behind the rape is a Palestinian who may try to flee to the West Bank. If he does make it there – it will become more difficult to locate him.
These fears have led police to send updates to the relevant security mechanisms. They are trying to find any information regarding the rape and the rapist. In addition the police are continuing to use technological means in their attempts to locate anyone in the area at the time of the rape.
On Saturday police took statements from the two victims who noted: "He surprised us and then attacked." The young woman's mother told Channel 10 news: "My life is ruined, not just my daughter's, mine, my husbands', I expect the police to handle this and find him."
A special task force set up by Yarkon Subdistrict Police Commander Yoram Ohayon collected forensic evidence from the restroom where the assault took place, and reviewed tapes recorded by security cameras in an effort to identify the suspect.
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Police at the scene of the incident
Photo: Moti Kimchi
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