Police arrested a suspect last night in the rape at knife-point of a woman and the forcing of her and a male friend to have sex Friday night in Tel Aviv´s Gan Ha´ir parking garage.

The suspect, a 21-year-old Palestinian, was arrested on Ibn Gvirol Street, not far from the scene of the assault. Shortly afterward police arrested four other Palestinians who were living with him in an apartment in the area. They are being questioned about their possible involvement.

Late Friday night, a woman and her male friend were accosted in the parking lot by a man with a knife, who forced them into a public bathroom, ordered them to have sex, then raped the woman.

Police are waiting for the results of the suspect´s DNA test. He is to be brought before the Tel Aviv Magistrate´s Court today for a remand hearing.

According to police, the suspect lives near Nablus and frequently sneaks into Israel to work. In recent weeks he had been working in several restaurants in the Rabin Square area. He has committed some minor crimes but has no record of sex crimes, police said.

Not only did the suspect leave clear DNA evidence and fingerprints, police said, he also made other mistakes. For example, he took the young woman´s cell phone and instead of shutting it, answered it when the woman´s parents called to find out where she was.

Although he did not remain on the line for long, police set a trace on the cell phone to determine the path the suspect took after fleeing the scene of the crime. (© Copyright 2012 Ha´aretz 05/15/12)