TORONTO -- Police say a victim recounting a licence plate number one month ago is the sole reason a 34-year-old man, who is accused of sexually assaulting four women in Ontario since 2015, is now in custody.

The Toronto man was apprehended on Nov. 1 in connection with the sexual assault of a woman who woke up inside a vehicle after attending a downtown nightclub.

At the time, investigators said the woman lost consciousness after attending Rebel nightclub, located on Polsen Pier, and was then driven to an unknown location and sexually assaulted. Police said that after the woman came forward to officials with “vital information” they were able to make an arrest and link the case to several other incidents.

“The reason we are standing here today and the reason why he is in custody is because that survivor had the wherewithal to capture the licence plate,” Supt. Pauline Gray of the Toronto Police Service’s sex crimes unit said during a news conference held on Tuesday afternoon.

Investigators had previously linked three sexual assault cases, two in Toronto and one in Collingwood, and released composite images of a suspect based on victims’ accounts.

“Our composites are very good,” Gray said. “As you can see our victims did an incredible job describing what they remembered.”

The first incident occurred at around 1 a.m. on July 28, 2015 in Toronto near Dufferin Street and Rogers Road. Police said a 23-year-old woman was approached from behind by a man before she was dragged into a laneway and sexually assaulted.

In Collingwood, near Birch and Second streets, a 17-year-old girl was pulled into a vehicle by a man before she was sexually assaulted on Jan. 1, 2017.

In March 2017, investigators from the Toronto Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police linked the two cases publicly, released the composite images and set up a tip line in an effort to collect further information.

A third incident took place on July 15, 2019 in Toronto, which was later linked as well. According to police, a 28-year-old woman got into a vehicle she believed was a ride-share she had ordered in the area of Newfoundland Road and Strachan Avenue and was then driven to a parking lot in the area of Eglinton Avenue West and Jane Street and sexually assaulted at around 10:30 p.m.

After the November 2019 incident, police were able to link all four cases together and identify a suspect as Dipesh Patel.

“Armed with that information (from Nov. 1, 2019) and the evidence provided from the Centre of Forensic Sciences, we were able to link all four of the cases and bring some sort of measure of peace to our victims,” Gray said.

‘Escalated in violence’

Investigators said the incidents were “escalating in violence each and every time.”

“Each time he was learning,” Gray said. “I won’t speak to how, but each time he was learning, he was learning to be better at it, he was learning how to be more elusive and so each one of those victims coming forward really were the step stones to getting him.”

“Without them coming forward, there is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Patel would continue to offend and, in fact, escalate in violence each and every time.”

‘Strength in numbers’

Gray expressed gratitude towards the victims of these “violent crimes” for coming forward while speaking at Toronto Police Headquarters alongside OPP Det.-Insp. Darren Webster.

“It is they who ultimately provided the evidence to catch this man,” Gray said. “I’m grateful to them for coming forward and sharing their stories and trusting us with those stories – know that you are our heroes.”

Webster described what the victims went through as “horrific.”

“The strength in these women coming forward, which could not have been easy, cannot be overlooked,” he said. “The victims supplied vital information that helped us solve this case.”

“There is strength in numbers.”

Patel faces 20 charges in total

Police announced that Patel is now facing 20 charges in connection with the four incidents, including three counts of sexual assault, three counts of forcible confinement, two counts of robbery, and one count of using a firearm to commit an indictable offence.

Officers said they are concerned there may be additional victims.

“If there are other women or other girls who recognize this man and have information that could further our case please contact us,” Gray said.

Patel is scheduled to appear in court in Toronto on Tuesday afternoon.