London  - A man accused of being the "night stalker" who raped and assaulted elderly women in their homes in south London over the past 17 years has been arrested and will appear in court Monday, police said.

The 52-year-old man, who wore masks during his attacks and often cut off the victims' telephone and electricity lines, had been terrorizing women in south-east London since 1992, Scotland Yard said.

His victims were aged between 60 and over 90, with the oldest a 93-year-old woman.

The man, caught Sunday after one of the longest and most complex rape inquiries in British criminal history, was charged with five rapes, six indecent assaults and 11 burglaries.

Police believe he could have committed as many as 108 crimes.

More than 2,000 DNA samples from suspects were taken during the inquiries, which started 12 years ago and have cost more than 100,000 pounds (167,000 dollars) police said. (IANS)