22-Year-Old Suspect Is Arrested in Series of Long Beach Rapes : Crime: The man is being investigated in a number of attacks in the Belmont Heights neighborhood.

A 22-year-old Long Beach man has been arrested in connection with a yearlong series of rapes and burglaries in the Long Beach neighborhood of Belmont Heights.

The arrest came fewer than three months after a teen-age suspect was charged in another series of sexual assaults in the same neighborhood.

Terry Maurice Wilson was taken into custody Thursday after a neighbor, who thought he was acting suspiciously, tipped police. When arrested, Wilson had an identification card with him that belonged to one of the victims, said Long Beach Police Sgt. C. S. Roberson.

Wilson, who also had an outstanding warrant in an unrelated car theft, was arrested at his girlfriend’s apartment Thursday evening in the 300 block of Atlantic Avenue. He was booked on suspicion of rape, sexual assault and burglary.

Police said at least seven victims--all single women between the ages of 20 and 30 who live alone--described a suspect similar in appearance to Wilson.

The latest attack took place early on May 27. The other attacks were late at night or early in the morning. The crimes occurred in an area bounded by Anaheim Street, Ocean Boulevard and Cherry and Ximeno avenues. Wilson was arrested about one mile away, Roberson said. The suspect also lives about one mile away.

Wilson’s fingerprints were found in the apartment of at least one victim, said Sgt. Keith Kilmer, a department spokesman. He said all the victims were attacked in their homes after the assailant entered through unlocked windows.

Police said they refrained from notifying the public until they established a clear pattern to the crimes.

“We weren’t real confident about what was going on until the intensity of the activity increased,” Roberson said. Five attacks occurred during April and May.

Within three days of releasing the information in connection with the latest attack, police received the tip that led to Wilson’s arrest.

A local rape crisis counselor said the discretion the police exercised was necessary to keep from alarming the public.

“The police are in a very touchy situation,” said Julie Dodge, director of Long Beach’s Sexual Assault Crisis Agency. “They have to decide whether this is something they need to make the public aware of, or should they wait because we don’t want to create any mass hysteria.”

But Gail Abarbanel, director of the rape treatment center at Santa Monica Hospital, said an earlier release of information may have led to a quicker arrest.

“Lack of information is what creates hysteria,” Abarbanel said. “If the danger has a face on it, or a description, it is certainly easier to protect yourself against it. . . . Besides, it’s better when you have a lot more eyes and ears helping the police solve these crimes.”