Suspect Held in Rape Case After Callers See Composite

An unemployed construction worker was arrested late Tuesday night on suspicion of raping a 12-year-old girl he allegedly kidnaped last weekend from her father’s home in an exclusive, gated community in Huntington Beach.

The suspect, Kyle Joseph Borges, 29, described by Huntington Beach police as a transient, was arrested about 9:30 p.m. after detectives received more than 100 telephone calls in response to a composite drawing of the rape suspect released Tuesday morning.

Borges, who voluntarily went to the police station Tuesday night after learning that police wanted to talk to him, was being held in the Huntington Beach City Jail on suspicion of kidnaping, rape and burglary in the attack early Sunday morning at the gated community of Sea Cliff on the Greens.

Bail for Borges was set at $50,000, but Huntington Beach Police Sgt. James Cutshaw said efforts were under way late Tuesday night to have the bail increased.

Cutshaw said the investigation led to Borges after the flurry of calls responding to the composite drawing. Reading from a statement, Cutshaw said that “concerned citizens . . . provided information as to a possible suspect.”

As a result, Borges was located at the home of a friend in north Huntington Beach and later came voluntarily to the police station, Cutshaw said.

“The suspect was placed under arrest at the conclusion of the interview,” he said.

Police declined to provide further information about the suspect or the information generated by the composite.

Investigators earlier Tuesday had said there have been three other burglaries since August at the Sea Cliff on the Greens complex that may be related Sunday morning’s kidnaping and rape. But it was not clear late Tuesday whether Borges is also a suspect in those cases.

Huntington Beach Police Capt. Bruce Young said police made the composite Monday after again interviewing the victim, who was raped, then pushed nude from her abductor’s truck at Smokey’s Stables in county territory south of Warner Avenue and Bolsa Chica Street, about a mile from her home.

The suspect was earlier described as white, with dark, curly hair and a mustache, about 5 feet, 8 inches and of slim build. Young said the suspect was driving a white or off-white compact pickup truck that is dirty and dented, with blue-and-white California plates.

Police have said the kidnaper entered a two-story condominium owned by the girl’s father in the 6000 block of Panorama Drive through an unlocked sliding glass door. He confronted the victim, who was sleeping with a girlfriend on a living-room sofa bed.

The kidnaper grabbed the victim by the arm, covered her mouth with his hand and carried her in her nightgown from the house, as her friend slid under the covers and pretended to sleep, police said.

Screams Awakened Father

Her father was awakened by screams and ran to an upstairs window, where he saw his daughter being carried away. Young said the father at first did not know what was happening, suspecting that it might be some prank by the girls, who had been playing hide-and-seek and other games the night before. The father called police after he talked with the girlfriend.

“It’s our belief he didn’t really comprehend what had happened,” Young said. “He looked for her around the complex, but he didn’t have any suspicions until he talked to her friend.”

Eight investigators had been assigned to the case. Police encourage people with information on the case to call Huntington Beach Police Detective Don Howell or Sgt. William Peterson at (714) 960-8811 or (714) 969-2272.

The victim is now staying with her mother, who lives outside Huntington Beach. The parents are divorced.

When officers first tried to interview her, the 12-year-old was in shock and could provide only sketchy details, Young said. But when she was interviewed again Monday, he said she could provide many details for the composite drawing and other details about the crime.

Young said the girl did not know her attacker.

Vigilance Recommended

Young recommended that residents of the community be more vigilant about who is coming and going and be more aware of suspicious activity.

Because several sections of the complex are under construction, anyone can gain access to the community, despite the security gates. If anything, Young said, the gates and fences had only given residents “a false sense of security.”

Neighbors said Monday that guards at the gates were paying more attention to vehicles entering the complex and that steps have been taken to secure 16 pedestrian gates.