Police release image of attacker's tattoo
South Australian police have released a picture of a distinctive tattoo, seen by a rape victim on her attacker's arm.
The violent sexual assault happened on October 19, when a man broke into the woman's Croydon home in Adelaide's western suburbs.
He climbed through a back window at 5am, then restrained and sexually assaulted her.
She was alone in the house at the time.
Once he fled it took the woman an hour to break free from her restraints and then call the police.
Detective Sergeant Simon Bell, from the Sexual Crimes Investigation Branch, said a strong lead police have is the description of a tattoo of a woman on the male attackers inner left arm.
"The tattoo itself runs from the inside of the left elbow, down to the wrist on the inside of the suspect’s left arm."
Police say they have already canvassed 25 tattoo parlours across Adelaide, in an attempt to find the attacker, and also enlisted a tattoo artist to recreate the design.
"The tattooists, the artists have spoken to the victim with our assistance and they have created a likeness to the tattoo that the victim saw on the suspect’s arm."
We are conducting other inquiries, but this is certainly our most strongest inquiry at this point in time," he said.
Police are asking anyone who recognises the tattoo, or has seen it on the lower left inner arm of a person to contact police.
The attacker is also described as being Caucasian in appearance, about 175 cm tall of stocky build and with dark eyes.
That night he was wearing a balaclava, black gloves, black t-shirt and denim jeans.
Police are asking anyone with further information to contact BankSA Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or go to their website.
