> Rape suspect says he scaled walls to reach victims’ residences on 10 occasions

OSAKA — A 26-year-old man was arrested for trespass and rape on Thursday, accused of climbing up into a second-floor apartment in Moriguchi City on the night of June 12 and raping the female resident. The suspect has told police that he has done the same thing on about 10 occasions.

Kazunari Iwano, a barber and resident of Kadoma City, is accused of climbing up to the veranda of the second-floor apartment and entering it through an open window, before raping the female resident inside. Police said he was able to get up to the second floor by climbing up on to a wall and stepping on a vending machine. Iwano was arrested on Thursday after his DNA was found to match that of evidence collected in the apartment.

Police said that five other similar incidents involving women living on second or third-floor apartments in Kadoma City and neighboring Moriguchi City were reported in early to mid-June, and police are continuing their investigations in those cases. Iwano is believed to have followed the women back to their apartments and waited for them to turn off the lights before climbing up the walls and entering the apartments.

> Transvestites assault woman for handbag

THREE demure-looking transvestites gave a woman a shock when they punched her and grabbed her handbag.

The victim was walking alone near Jalan Datuk Onn in Kuala Lumpur at 5.30pm on Tuesday 30 June 2009 when one of the attackers made a grab for her handbag.

Under the heading 3 Pondan Gagah (3 strong transvestites), Harian Metro reported that they kicked and shoved the woman, who works for the National Anti-Drug Agency.

“She could only watch helplessly as the transvestites fled with her handbag containing her cellphone, RM90 and important documents,” said a police source.

The woman had earlier seen the three transvestites loitering near Bank Negara.