A registered sex offender was back in custody yesterday, just about five hours after walking out of jail, following what Tiburon police say was a frightening attack on a woman along a popular local bike path.
The woman told officers she was on the Old Rail Trail around 10:25 PM, in the 700 block of Tiburon Boulevard near the Belvedere Tennis Club, when a man approached, briefly chatted with her, then allegedly grabbed her breasts and tried to drag her into nearby bushes. She fought him off and ran to safety. Officers searched the area and found a man matching her description on the patio of Woodlands Market at The Boardwalk shopping center, where the woman identified him after police brought her to the scene. According to The Ark, the suspect was taken into custody and booked into Marin County Jail.
The Ark reports that Robiel Teklu Sium, 29, of San Rafael, was convicted of sexual battery in 2023, according to California Department of Justice records, and had been released from jail roughly five hours before the alleged Tiburon attack. Authorities identified Sium as the suspect and court records show he was charged June 25 with a felony count of false imprisonment and a misdemeanor count of sexual battery.
Earlier San Rafael arrest
The Tiburon case appears to follow closely on the heels of a June 18 arrest in San Rafael, reported by the Marin Independent Journal. In that incident, Sium allegedly climbed a fence to enter a Grand Avenue fitness studio and tried to make physical contact with people who were exercising. San Rafael police told the paper he was booked on suspicion of assault with intent to commit rape, burglary and a parole violation, with bail set at $50,000.
Legal status and next steps
Tiburon police say they have asked the Marin County District Attorney’s Office to consider additional charges as the investigation continues. False imprisonment and sexual battery are covered under California law, including Penal Code section 236 and Penal Code section 243.4, and the state’s Megan's Law site explains sex offender registration rules and public disclosure.
Anyone with information or who may have had a similar encounter is asked to contact the Tiburon Police Department at 415-789-2801 as investigators continue to review evidence. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
