Cold case probe into historic sexual assaults

Detectives are making a renewed push to find a sex offender who attacked two women in the 1980s armed with a screwdriver and a pitchfork.

The first attack occurred in Caulfield on Thursday 1 April 1982.

A 21-year-old woman was threatened by a man with a screwdriver before being dragged into a car about 7pm.

She was taken to an unknown location where she was sexually assaulted.

The second incident occurred in Mulgrave on Tuesday 3 May 1983.

An 18-year-old female had been to a milk bar on Police Road when she was approached by a man on Albany Drive about 7.50pm.

The man was armed with a pitch fork and threatened her before dragging her into a nearby van.

She was driven to another location in Mulgrave where she was sexually assaulted before being released on Singleton Drive.

It is believed the man in the distinctive van had also followed another woman prior to the sexual assault in Mulgrave.

He spoke slowly with an Australian accent and had rough hands.

The distinctive van he was driving has been described as a white transit/Bedford van with a red and yellow stripe curving from the top rear of the van to the front.

It had a rectangular bubble window at the rear passenger side and two doors at the rear of the van with no windows.

There was also green canvas and dirt on the floor of the van.

More than 30 years on, an image has been released of the suspect and the van in the hope that someone may be able to help solve the cold case.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.