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Contact:  Officer Joe Okies  #71

                 BPD Public Information Officer

                 (510) 981- 5752  

Suspect Caught in North Berkeley
Moments After Rape

 
Berkeley, California (Tuesday October 13, 2005) –On Wednesday October 12^th an elderly woman was the victim of rape in her residence in the 1700 block of California St.  In this case the victim, who did not know the suspect, allowed him into her home.  Once inside, the suspect detained the victim and raped her. 

A woman in the area heard sounds of the victim calling for help, knocked on the victim’s door and went into the residence in time to see the suspect fleeing out of the rear of the residence.

The witness followed the suspect from a distance, and helped to direct police to him a few blocks from where the crime occurred. 

The suspect was identified as forty-two year old Berkeley resident Renee Moss.  He was arrested near the North Berkeley Bart Station on charges of burglary, rape, and elder abuse.

Ofc. Tim Kaplan from the Sex Crimes Detail said, “The fact that the witness took the initiative to follow the suspect, combined with a fast response by patrol and their keen observations of the suspect enabled us to identify and arrest him moments after he committed the rape.”