By JOSIE CLARKE
South Auckland police have arrested the driver of the car they believe was used in the Mother's Day rape in Manurewa and have linked him to another vehicle used in another sex attack.
Detectives detained the driver on matters unrelated to the rape. They found the stolen black Honda, with false SY9509 registration plates, on Saturday.
They say the man is also linked to a second car believed to have been used in a sex attack on February 5. In that case, a man with a description similar to the Mother's Day rapist picked up a woman in central Auckland, took her to a Balmoral carpark and tried to rape her.
Police later seized the car involved in that attack, a yellow Honda City.
They believe the two incidents have a strong connection and are not ruling out the possibility that the driver and the two cars were involved in other offences.
The victims of the Manurewa and Balmoral attacks both described their attacker as a Maori, aged in his mid 30s to 40s, with short black hair. One of the women saw a large, distinctive tattoo extending across her attacker's arms and chest.
Detective Sergeant Steve Mariu, who is heading the inquiry codenamed Operation Cash, said police were tightening the net yesterday and expected to have more information by early today.
He appealed for people with information about either of the attacks, or who have seen the cars or driver, to contact the police on 0800 484-433.
The victim of the Mother's Day rape, known as Angela, told the Herald of her ordeal in the hope that someone might recognise her attacker's distinctive description.
The man raped and sexually assaulted her for up to an hour in a tennis club carpark in Marr Rd, Manurewa, after she accepted his offer of a lift in Great South Rd at Papatoetoe shortly after 3.30 am a week ago yesterday.
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