true crime

A serial sexual predator is on the loose in Queensland.

They have witnesses, they even have his DNA, but police are still trying to identify the man responsible for a series of terrifying late-night attacks on women across south-eastern Queensland.

The mystery perpetrator is responsible for four assaults in Logan and the northern suburbs of the Gold Coast between 2008 and February this year, but police believe he could be behind at least four more.

The most recent attack targeted an international student living in a Southport unit complex, leaving her neighbourhood on edge.

“We are locking our doors tighter, jumping at every noise – the police need to catch this man,” one neighbour told The Gold Coast Bulletin.

The attacker, believed to be over the age of 25, typically enters women’s homes in the early hours of the morning via unlocked doors or windows and sexually assaults them in their beds.

However, in one of the four confirmed cases, he was disturbed by the victim in her Springwood kitchen, where he restrained and threatened her before fleeing.

Detective Superintendent Cheryl Scanlon of the Child Safety and Sexual Crime Group said in a statement that the dedicated team of officers are currently working on the case, now dubbed Operation Melya.

“All four assaults have occurred at night time, two around midnight and two around 3am. The age of the women assaulted has ranged from in their 20s, 30s, 50s and 60s,” she said.

“Our detectives and intel analysts are continuing to work-up and add to our profile on this offender, including examining police reports on sexual assaults that have occurred.”

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Post continues after video.

Video via Channel 7

Given that most of the assaults occurred in the dark, victim descriptions of the man have been inconsistent, according to The Gold Coast Bulletin. Regional Crime Coordinator Detective Superintendent Dave Hutchinson has therefore issued a public appeal for information, in the hope that someone may have seen the perpetrator.

“If anyone has seen any suspicious behaviour – for example an unknown person loitering at night – or been subject to incidents of wilful exposure, we would urge them to come forward with this information and contact Crime Stoppers.”

Anyone with information which could assist with this matter should contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au 24hrs a day.