The DNA taken from a suspect in the serial rape case matches samples recovered from seven of his supposed victims, police say. However, officers cannot yet say if he is the man they want.
A leaflet bearing two identikit pictures of a man suspected to be a serial rapist is posted on a concrete column at Thana market in Nakhon Pathom's Nakhon Chaisi district. Pornprom Satrabhaya
Police say they have a match with DNA collected from a woman raped in the latest case at the weekend, and also samples collected from six previous attacks in Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon and Sumut Songkhram provinces.
"DNA found on the six victims is the same as that collected in the latest case which occurred on Sunday," Pol Maj Gen Manu Mekmok, acting commander of the Office of Police Forensic Science said.
However, fingerprints collected from the crime scenes have not yet turned up a match to the criminal database of the Office of Police Forensic Science.
The office is now stepping up efforts to identify the culprit, Pol Maj Gen Manu added.
The habits and appearance of the man in custody matches that of the attacker as described by victims.
The suspect is 170cm tall and strong. He would break into a victim's house by letting himself in through a window.
The crimes mostly occurred between 1am to 3am and he would lock the door and cut telephone and electric lines after each crime.
Police believe the serial rapist has attacked 12 women since 2011. Two of the victims were murdered.
The latest case occurred in Nakhom Pathom on Sunday. The suspect attacked a 73-year-old woman while she was sleeping in her bedroom after poisoning her dog to death.
He threatened her with a knife before raping her. He then fled the scene with the victim's 5,000-baht in cash and a Buddhist amulet.
Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd, deputy government spokesman, said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told cabinet yesterday he was concerned about the number of elderly women who have been raped.