Suspected serial rapist caught in Haifa

39-year-old Victor Vasileyev believed to have attacked at least 4 women over the past 2 years.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Police last week arrested a Haifa resident suspected of being a serial rapist who attacked at least four women, it was announced on Sunday. According to details released for publication, 39-year-old Victor Vasileyev is believed to have been responsible for a series of rapes over the past two years in the city's Upper Hadar neighborhood. Police said he had admitted to several of the attacks. According to police, Vasileyev was caught after entering the apartment of a woman he had allegedly raped in the past and trying to rape her again. However, the woman was prepared and phoned police. Vasileyev fled but, thanks to a detailed description provided by the woman, was caught by police shortly afterwards. Among the sexual attacks Vasileyev is suspected of committing are: • October 2007 - Entering a woman's apartment and raping her at knife-point. • August 2008 - Entering a woman's apartment with his genitalia exposed - the woman began screaming and he fled. • March 2009 - Appearing before a woman, masturbating in front of her and escaping. The woman did not report the incident to police and two days later the man entered her apartment and raped her. • May 2009 - Surprising a woman as she prepared to leave her apartment, sodomizing and then robbing her before fleeing. Police suspect Vasileyev, a hi-tech worker who is married and has children, may be involved in a number of other attacks. Investigators were able to connect the various cases only in recent months, after finding matching DNA samples and fingerprints at the crime scenes. They obtained a gag order on all details of the case, fearing that publication would cause the suspect to disappear. Police placed hidden lookouts and conducted undercover patrols in the area. They also detained several men and checked them, but were unable to catch the suspect until last week, when he attempted to rape one of his victims a second time. Tests confirmed that Vasileyev had visited the scenes of the previous crimes. He was brought to court on Sunday, and his remand was extended by six days.