Man Held in Rapes, Robberies : Crime: Police say he matches the description of one of two suspects sought in connection with a series of West Valley park incidents.

Los Angeles police arrested a 22-year-old man early Saturday in connection with a series of robberies and rapes at parks in the west San Fernando Valley, police said.

Hector Martinez Rocha was arrested at Shadow Ranch Park in West Hills during one of several police stakeouts at West Valley parks conducted by members of the West Valley and Devonshire police divisions, Sgt. Timothy Moss said.

Two West Valley officers stationed at Shadow Ranch Park, where some of the early crimes occurred, spotted Rocha “armed with a handgun hiding in the baseball bleachers,” Moss said.

“The suspect fit the description of one of the robbery suspects and matched the police composite drawing,” Moss said.

Rocha was carrying property taken in another robbery when he was arrested, Moss said. He was being held at the West Valley Division station on suspicion of rape and robbery.

Police said a second suspect who allegedly acted with Rocha was still at large.

Beginning in late May, police began receiving reports of night-time robberies in West Valley parks. In each case, one or two men would approach a couple, “display a gun and take the victim’s property,” Moss said.

In the first incident, two men approached a couple in Shadow Ranch Park, forced them to undress, then robbed them. Two days later in the same park, two men approached a group of teen-agers shortly after midnight, tied them up with their own shoelaces and belts, and raped two girls, ages 15 and 17.

On June 11, two men approached two women in Chatsworth Park North, tied them up with their own shoelaces and belts, and robbed them.

The latest incident occurred early Wednesday in Chase Park in West Hills. A lone man approached a young couple, drew a gun, then robbed the couple and raped the woman.

After that incident, police released a composite drawing of two suspects and cautioned women to stay out of area parks after dark.

Moss said the advice will hold “until the second suspect is taken into custody.”