Four out of ten people have become amateur detectives to try to crack unsolved crimes like the Jill Dando murder or Lord Lucan disappearance using digital databases, researchers found
Four out of ten people have become digital detectives to try to crack unsolved crimes like the Jill Dando murder or Lord Lucan disappearance, a poll found.
Researchers found 44% of people have turned themselves into cops like TV detectives Vera and Morse and used digital databases to try and crack major cases.
They trawl social media platforms for clues as well as family history websites and online records of births, marriages and deaths and other historical archives in a bid to solve famous cold cases.
The single most investigated case is Jack The Ripper with 59 per cent of digital detectives probing the murders of his seven victims – all prostitutes – in the Whitechapel area of London in 1888.
A further 40% have probed the unsolved murder of Crimewatch presenter Jill Dando who was shot dead aged 37 outside her London home in 1999.
Some 37% have tried to crack the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Lord Lucan, who was aged 39, in 1974 when he vanished on the same night his children’s nanny Sandra Rivett was murdered at his Belgravia home.
He hasn’t been seen since but was declared dead in 1999.
A quarter – 25% – have investigated online the 1986 disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh and another 24% the disappearance of chef Claudia Lawrence in 2009.
The family history website FindMypast asked 2,000 UK adults if they have used online tools to try and solve famous unsolved crimes.
It carried out the research ahead of the launch of season two of the Was Justice Served? podcast which uses the website’s digital records to investigate cold cases.
Former police officer and BBC One’s Scam Interceptors host Rav Wilding, said: “The idea of uncovering new developments in a cold crime case can feel thrilling, turning regular people into ‘digital detectives’ in their own homes.
“With so much information now available online, it’s easier than ever for online sleuths to connect the dots and explore cases.”
Criminologist and podcast co-host David Wilson added: “The rise of digital detectives reflects the public’s enduring fascination with true crime and a growing desire to actively engage with it.
“What was once largely handled by police, journalists, and criminologists has become a serious hobby for many, with online archives and open-source tools enabling the public to investigate cold cases with remarkable dedication and insight.”
Murders attract the most attention with 64% of amateur sleuths probing them with another 49 per cent investigating unsolved disappearances.
Another 30% have looked into kidnappings and 35% have investigated historical crimes dating back centuries.
A third – 35% – say they are motivated by a fascination with criminal psychology and two out of ten – 18% – say they have a family connection to a crime via a relative or ancestor which makes them investigate online.
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