Suspect in 10 Rapes Arrested After Chase

A 24-year-old man suspected in a string of at least 10 rapes in three cities was arrested early Saturday after running from a residence in southwest Los Angeles and leading police on a brief car chase, authorities said.

Bruce Thorns, who resides in the 1200 block of West 67th Street, was booked on suspicion of robbery and held at Parker Center on $25,000 bail.

Officers booked Thorns for robbery because of the high bail amount the charge carries and because he allegedly had stolen items from the victims’ homes. Additional charges are expected to be recommended, detectives said.

Thorns’ arrest capped an investigation that began with the rape of a Hancock Park woman in early March. Five subsequent rapes were reported in Los Angeles, two in Culver City and two in Inglewood.

In each case, an assailant sneaked into a home, sometimes brandishing a knife as he assaulted his victims. Some of the women also were robbed.

Thorns, who is unemployed, was on parole for burglary when he was arrested, police said.

Los Angeles police and authorities in Culver City and Inglewood began looking for the same suspect about two weeks ago, said Lt. Don Foster of the Los Angeles Police Department.

“We linked him,” Foster said.

Detectives last week began circulating a composite sketch of a man wanted in the attacks in southwest Los Angeles, the latest of which occurred April 29.

Metro Division officers were tipped by detectives as to where Thorns might be found and spotted Thorns about 5 a.m. leaving a house in the Hyde Park area of southwest Los Angeles, Foster said. Thorns ran from the residence and drove away. Officers chased him for about two blocks before Thorns jumped from the car and ran.

A police dog found him minutes later hiding under a shed, and Thorns surrendered after being bitten on the arm.

The car he was driving had been stolen, Foster said.