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Amnesty for Ipswich drug dealers
18/12/2006 10:24 - (SA)
London - British police have offered an amnesty to drug dealers in the eastern port town of Ipswich in a bid for new information to help track down the killer of five prostitutes.
Police are also compiling a database of local prostitutes' distinguishing features - including tattoos and jewellery - to help identify them in case the suspected serial killer claims a sixth victim, according to British media.
The bodies of all five drug-using prostitutes were found naked on the outskirts of Ipswich, a town of 140 000 people about 140 kilometres northeast of London, between December 2 and December 12.
Though naked, none showed signs of having been subjected to significant trauma or serious sexual assault, fuelling speculation that the murderer or murderers might have been a drug dealer who doped them.
While police were awaiting toxicology results, which could take weeks, they also offered an amnesty to local drug dealers in an effort to provoke them to come forward with new information, The Times reported, citing the detective in charge of the investigation.
"Dealing class A drugs is a serious offence. However, our priority remains finding the person responsible for these murders ... I'm not interested in any other offences at this time," said Suffolk Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull.
"Nobody's got anything to fear about coming forward with information."
Identifying marks
An unidentified local sex worker, meanwhile, told The Sun tabloid that police officers visited her and other prostitutes and asked if they had any scars, tattoos or piercings.
"When we asked them why they said it would help them identify us if we turned up dead," she said.
Officers are also compiling a database of clients, according to The Guardian daily, with the men including the unemployed, along with professionals with well-paid jobs and careers.
Gull told a press conference on Sunday that no arrests had been made and there were no suspects in the case yet, but praised the public's "phenomenal response".
Police were studying information from close to 10 000 calls from the public offering tips, Gull said.
Among them were more than 60 calls received since Saturday's release of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing the last known movements of murdered prostitute Anneli Alderton, 24, who was three months pregnant.
Police also spoke on Saturday night to more than 400 motorists and pedestrians in Ipswich's red-light district in an effort to learn about the women's final days.
Gull said that almost 500 officers were working in one of Britain's biggest ever manhunts, with 350 being drafted in from 31 police forces around the country, including Northern Ireland, to help Suffolk police.
Meanwhile prayers were said Sunday for the murdered women at churches across Suffolk and in the heart of Ipswich's red light district.
- AFP
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