Post by Tomspy77 on Jan 24, 2016 8:41:09 GMT -6
Police draft in team with paranormal super-powers to hunt Cologne migrant rapists
crystalball;
German police asked the Metropolitan Police if they could borrow its team of “super recognisers”, known for their extraordinary ability to remember every face they have ever seen, to help track down the men.
While most people only have a 20 per cent recall for “putting names to faces”, the naturally gifted team of specialists can identify around 95 per cent of people they have seen before, even if it is only a fleeting glance.
More than 821 women were savagely attacked in the German city on New Year’s Eve in crimes ranging from sexual assault to gang rape.
So far, German officials say only 30 suspects have been identified prompting a huge wave of protests across the country calling for more curbs on migrants.
Now German investigators are hoping that the Met's crack team will be able to help them close the net on the sex attackers, with those arrested so far being identified as coming from North African countries such as Algeria and Tunisia. Half of those arrested are asylum seekers.
The five-strong team from London has jetted off to Cologne and has now begun the task of trawling through the throngs of men captured on reels of CCTV as they marauded their way through the streets and train station.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed the German police had requested its specialist "super recognisers".
The spokesman said: "The officers are there to assist German police with advice on imagery-led major investigations, and the identification of offenders.
"They will assist in putting in place methods for managing large volumes of CCTV and other imagery, viewing it effectively, identifying offenders and feeding that information into the overall inquiry."
The “super recognisers”, who possess the natural gift, are often likened to Superman for their ability to quickly scan groups and pick out familiar faces, such as offenders or terror suspects as they move through large crowds.
Authorities in Cologne are offering a reward of €10,000 (£7,500) for information leading to the arrest or identification of those who committed the atrocities.
While most people only have a 20 per cent recall for “putting names to faces”, the naturally gifted team of specialists can identify around 95 per cent of people they have seen before, even if it is only a fleeting glance.
More than 821 women were savagely attacked in the German city on New Year’s Eve in crimes ranging from sexual assault to gang rape.
So far, German officials say only 30 suspects have been identified prompting a huge wave of protests across the country calling for more curbs on migrants.
Now German investigators are hoping that the Met's crack team will be able to help them close the net on the sex attackers, with those arrested so far being identified as coming from North African countries such as Algeria and Tunisia. Half of those arrested are asylum seekers.
The five-strong team from London has jetted off to Cologne and has now begun the task of trawling through the throngs of men captured on reels of CCTV as they marauded their way through the streets and train station.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed the German police had requested its specialist "super recognisers".
The spokesman said: "The officers are there to assist German police with advice on imagery-led major investigations, and the identification of offenders.
"They will assist in putting in place methods for managing large volumes of CCTV and other imagery, viewing it effectively, identifying offenders and feeding that information into the overall inquiry."
The “super recognisers”, who possess the natural gift, are often likened to Superman for their ability to quickly scan groups and pick out familiar faces, such as offenders or terror suspects as they move through large crowds.
Authorities in Cologne are offering a reward of €10,000 (£7,500) for information leading to the arrest or identification of those who committed the atrocities.