Palm Springs Man, 44, Accused Of Physically, Sexually Assaulting Couple After Breaking Into Their Home
PALM SPRINGS (CBSLA.com) — The Palm Springs Police Department has announced the arrest of a 45-year-old man they said sexually and physically assaulted a couple after breaking into their home.
Police said they got a distraught 911 call around 3:30 a.m. Thursday from a female homeowner.
She said a man climbed through a window in her home and then proceeded to sexually and physically assault her and her husband.
The victim also told police the alleged attacker was still in their home.
While placing the 911 call, the victim told the dispatcher the man began to attack her again. The husband was able to pull the suspect off his wife and pin him until police arrived.
Officers arrived within six minutes.
On Thursday, they identified the suspect as Thomas Mabe of Palm Springs.
Police said neither victim sought medical treatment.
Authorities said Mabe was arrested early last month for child annoyance. In that incident, he allegedly made inappropriate sexual remarks to a 16-year-old girl as she walked to school and attempted to grab her. A passerby intervened and kept the girl from being harmed, police said.
Officials said Mabe pleaded guilty to the child annoyance charge as well as violating probation. He was released from jail March 19.
Mabe was also arrested by police Sunday on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and booked into the Riverside County Jail. He was released from custody the following day.
Mabe was arrested Thursday on charges of sexual assault, probation violation, residential burglary, committing oral copulation during the course of a robbery, oral copulation on a victim who is asleep and failing to register as a sex offender within 30 days.
