Arrest Made in Nearby “Home Invasion” Rape
LAPD officers were dispatched to investigate an attempt rape and home invasion robbery in a residential neighborhood in Winnetka, just north of Calabasas.
When officers got to the scene, they found the victim, a 30-year-old woman, alone and severely beaten. The victim told the officers that the suspect had tried to sell her a magazine subscription but after she declined to buy, he forced his way into her home, beat her, sexually assaulted her, and stole money from her. The victim was able to give officers a detailed description of the suspect. During a canvass of the neighborhood, officers found several neighbors who had seen the suspect going door to door selling magazine subscriptions prior to the attack.
Topanga Division Senior Lead Officer Dennis Cunningham, who had recently received complaints from local residents about door-to-door magazine salesmen, had been investigating the complaints. During his investigation, he had discovered a door-to-door magazine sales crew operating out of a local motel. After hearing about the attack, he met with motel staff and was able to tentatively identify the suspect. Using a photo provided by the manager for the sales crew, officers canvassed the area and located the suspect three hours later. The suspect, 23-year-old Gerald Vidal from Texas, was positively identified by the victim and witnesses.
Vidal was booked for attempt rape and home invasion robbery and is currently being held on $5.6 million bail.
Anyone with information about this crime or any similar attacks is urged to contact Topanga Area Detective Darcie Cobos at 818-756-4820. During non-business hours or on weekends calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.
Discuss this in the Calabasas Forum.
