A man in Georgia, US, was arrested last week after forensic evidence linked him to a series of rapes - with police revealing they managed to catch him as he'd actually previously tried to join the force.
Kenneth Bowen, 24, tried to join the Clayton County Police Department last year, which turned out to be a move that would eventually help lead to his arrest.
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The force explained tat the background information he provided at the time helped them pin him down, with Chief Kevin Roberts saying: "Had he not attempted to join ranks in the Clayton County Police Department, it is questionable as to when we would have apprehended him."
Roberts explained how Bowen had been hired by the department back on 25 June 2018, but was fired less than three months later on 12 September. He was let go after he arrived to training nearly four hours late, and had not been truthful to supervising officers about where he was during that time.
Roberts stressed that Bowen was never actually a police officer, adding: "Kenneth Bowen was never a certified police officer with this agency.
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"He was hired by me in June 2018. He was also terminated by me on September 12, 2018."
Bowen was eventually arrested after forensic evidence linked him to seven rapes and one case of sexual battery since 2015.
Police said the attacks all took place within a two-mile radius of where Bowen lived in Jonesboro, and that the suspect targeted black women between the ages of 19 and 39.
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None of the attacks took place during the brief period Bowen was at the police academy.
Police explained at a press conference that officers had noticed the 'striking resemblance' between Bowen's photo and police sketches.
After they linked Bowen's tattoos to the suspect's description, they then obtained a search warrant for his DNA - which linked him to the eight attacks.
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Police said they took Bowen into custody at his workplace, but did not disclose the name of his employer.
Clayton County Police Department shared a video on Facebook that showed Bowen under arrest.
The caption said: "WE GOT HIM! Citizens of Clayton County can rest a little bit easier knowing that the serial rapist has been CAPTURED!
"Great investigative skill set and excellent teamwork has brought his terror to an end!"
Featured Image Credit: Clayton County Police Department