If it happened today

[kensei]

I was wondering about how many things would be different if the Jack the Ripper murders were to happen today instead of in 1888. Of course there is any number of gruseome serial killer cases that have continued into the present day, but if the same murders were to happen to modern victims in the same places in the East End today in a similar span of time, how much more likely is it that the killer would be quickly caught? That is, considering modern forensic and other crime solving techniques as well as the large number of security cameras that now surveil most of London. (When I was on vacation in London this past September I got questioned and searched/frisked by police just for shooting video in proximity to security cameras in Mitre Square.)

[DarkPassenger]

Steve Wright was caught pretty quicky.

Don't forget Derek Brown, who abducted and killed prostitutes in Whitechapel to emulate the Ripper.

[j.r-ahde]

Hello kensei!

If he wouldn't adopt modern serial killers manners and leave fingerprints on his possible letters and on the crime scenes, lick the envelopes, etc., he would be caught immediately!

The surveillance cameras could help catching him, but if we consider him having a high IQ, he would find a trick to trick even them...

All the best
Jukka

[Steve F]

Breaking no laws

. (When I was on vacation in London this past September I got questioned and searched/frisked by police just for shooting video in proximity to security cameras in Mitre Square.)[/QUOTE]

The Police were ''out of order'' to search and frisk you because you were taking video/picture's in a PUBLIC PLACE
You were breaking NO LAWS doing what you were doing IN ENGLAND!There seems to be some confusion at the moment between the law and photographers and believe me I as an amatuer tog I know all about it.I have heard of police confiscating memory cards and all and it is then they who are breaking the law.
Sorry folk's if this is off theme but it got me going
Grrrrrrr!!

[Howard Brown]

May I suggest the interested Ripperologist take out the latest issue of Ripperologist Magazine (Nov.2008) and read "Solved In Minutes" by Donald Souden.

I'd say it wouldn't be so easy...IMHO.

[kensei]

. (When I was on vacation in London this past September I got questioned and searched/frisked by police just for shooting video in proximity to security cameras in Mitre Square.)

The Police were ''out of order'' to search and frisk you because you were taking video/picture's in a PUBLIC PLACE
You were breaking NO LAWS doing what you were doing IN ENGLAND!There seems to be some confusion at the moment between the law and photographers and believe me I as an amatuer tog I know all about it.I have heard of police confiscating memory cards and all and it is then they who are breaking the law.
Sorry folk's if this is off theme but it got me going
Grrrrrrr!![/QUOTE]

I don't think it's off theme, the cameras are important. Just to elaborate a bit, I was surprised by the incident in such a touristy city as London, but I'd been shooting video in the square for quite a while as I kind of narrated the story, the police did not confiscate anything although they did insist on seeing every single item I had with me and also rewound my tape to see everything I'd been filming, and they were actually quite polite about the whole thing and kept assuring me I wasn't in any trouble. It was just routine, they said, "because just a few years ago, not half a mile from here, we had a 30-foot hole blown in the street." (July 7 2005.) When I said "I assumed there were security cameras everywhere in London," one cop shrugged, nodded and said, "Well, yeah, there are."

So I suppose if JTR was to strike today he would most likely have his image on video before too long, but with the darkness of night and simple disguises I don't imagine that alone would lead to his capture. Unless-- anyone know just how pervasive the video surveilance in London is? Would there be someone sitting at a monitor seeing the crime happen and then another camera, and another and another, following the killer's escape route all the way until he was caught?