ABU DHABI // A man believed by police to have carried out a series of sexual assaults and robberies has been arrested.
Police claim that the Sri Lankan posed as a maintenance man and then used a kitchen knife in his attempts to assault, rob and rape nine housewives during the past two months. They say he also stole mobile phones and cash.
The women, of various nationalities, lived in areas including Al Zaafarana, Muroor and Khalidiya.
All the alleged assaults took place during the early afternoon when children were in schools and men at work, according to Col Maktoum al Sharifi, the head of Abu Dhabi Police.
The man watched the women closely to determine their schedules, then posed as a maintenance worker to get inside their homes, Col al Sharifi said. He used a 30cm kitchen knife in the attacks.
"He would watch the area and follow his target until she got inside her house. He would then make sure she was alone in the house before knocking on the door and claiming he was a maintenance worker.
"As soon as a woman opened the door, he would attempt to rape her and rob her before running away."