Detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad have arrested a man following an ongoing investigation into three sexual assaults believed to have occurred between April 2017 and February 2018.
The first incident occurred when a 27-year-old woman left a Richmond hotel on Swan Street about 3am on Sunday, 9 April 2017.
She was approached by an unknown man who offered her a lift home.
At some point during the trip, the man stopped the vehicle in a service lane on Princess Highway in Oakleigh and sexually assaulted the woman.
The second incident occurred on Friday, 12 January 2018.
A 34-year-old woman was out with a group of friends at a hotel in the Melbourne CBD.
At about 4.30am, she was walking along Gertrude St, Fitzroy when she was approached by an unknown man who offered her a lift.
The woman got into the car and told police she was unable to recall what happened next until she woke the following morning at an unknown property after being sexually assaulted by the man.
The third incident occurred on the 11th February 2018.
The 24-year-old woman was with a group of friends at a hotel on Brunswick St, Fitzroy.
About 3am, the victim left her friends an began walking home.
As she was walking, she was approached by a man who offered her a lift.
The woman got into the car and as she was travelling towards her home, the man parked the vehicle in a nearby street and sexually assaulted her.
On each occasion, the victims were all walking alone when they were approached by the man and he never asked for money in exchange for driving the women home.
All three victims later received text messages and calls from unknown and blocked numbers following each sexual assault.
The messages included being asked “Are you out and about?”
Two of the three victims also located their underwear stuffed into their handbags following the assault.
The matters were reported to police at the time and were subsequently investigated by detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad.
The women described the man as aged between 50 and 60, bald with tanned skin with a chubby build.
He was driving a SUV type vehicle at the time of each reported incident.
The 56-year-old Bulleen man remains in custody assisting police with their enquiries.
The investigation remains ongoing and police are continuing to look at any possible links to other matters.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
