Twin brothers arrested for six rapes in Marseille to have their DNA tested so police can work out who is their prime suspect

  • The pair share virtually identical DNA, meaning it could take experts weeks to identify which one was at the scene of the crimes
  • One of the brothers is suspected of raping six women over three months

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 19:23 GMT, 10 February 2013 | UPDATED: 19:26 GMT, 10 February 2013


Two twin brothers have been arrested for six rapes in France - because police don’t know how to prove which one committed the crimes.

The 25-year-old pair share virtually identical DNA, meaning it could take weeks for experts to identify which one was at the scene of the crimes.

One of the brothers - named only as Elwin and Yohan - is suspected of raping six women over three months in the hallway of a block of flats in Marseille last year.

Two twin brothers have been arrested for a series of rapes in Marseilles (pictured) in France

Two twin brothers have been arrested for a series of rapes in Marseilles (pictured) in France

The victims have identified photos of the twins, without being able to tell which one was their attacker.

One of the pair was also caught on a CCTV camera, but again both police and the victims can not tell which brother it is.

 

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Both men, who are both unemployed delivery drivers, deny the offences committed between September and December 2012.

Marseille police chief Emmanual Kiehl said: ‘It is a highly unusual affair.

‘This pair have almost identical genetic codes. It is possible to tell them apart but it could take weeks and we do not have the facilities here in Marseille.

One of the brothers is suspected of raping six women over three months in Marseille, France last year (file picture)

One of the brothers is suspected of raping six women over three months in Marseille, France last year (file picture)

‘There are very slight differences in their DNA formed as they were developing in the womb. It could take thousands of separate tests before we know which one of them may be guilty.

‘Meanwhile, both are being held in custody on a special warrant due to the rare nature of the situation.’

Police in Marseille are also holding two 21-year-old Corsican twins named Marc and Dominique Pantalacci, after discovering a cache of arms and drugs in a lock-up garage that contained their DNA.

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its quite harsh that both have been named, when presumably only one committed the crime

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CSI cracked a similar case to this. Get onto Youtube pronto.

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As a mum of Id twins i need the dna kit for my home , they never admit to anything !!! its always the other one !!!....joking aside , I hope they do find out, i was always told ID twins had the exact same DNA , even the same finger prints, be interesting to see how they resolve this .

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I'm an I identical twin and we have always hypothized whether we could commit any crime and defeat DNA, witness sightings & other evidence. You could then either both deny or both even claim to have done the crime but, given our laws, you couldn't convict just one. I always fancied about robbing a ficitious bank! How sick it's actually be done through a vile crime. It's worth any price tag to get the DNA done, to protect future future women and to allow the abused women some justice. My heart goes to them.

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Fingerprints are generated from movements in the womb and are not identical. Have the police not managed to collect any ?

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If they are identical split cell twins their DNA will be identical.

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Of course there's another possibility: they could BOTH be guilty - each having committed different rapes in the series.....

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Forget the details and costly tests, ask them who did what. If they don't fess up, chuck them both in jail for all the crimes in question (I mean honestly, they'd've continued had they not been caught). Job done.

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"Both men, who are both unemployed delivery drivers" If they're unemployed they're not delivery drivers are they?

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Unemployed delivery drivers? I am an unemployed Astronaut!

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