Joe Thompson: New Zealand's South Auckland Rapist
Jun 12, 2016 6:15:27 GMT
ronin, truecrimebuff, and 3 more like this
Post by Any of N on Jun 12, 2016 6:15:27 GMT
Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, located on the North Island. On the south side is a socio-economically disadvantaged area with a reputation for crime. It was here, known unofficially as South Auckland, that another highly elusive sexual predator operated from 1983 to 1995. Joseph Stephenson Thompson was an intruder rapist who broke into homes either late at night or in the early morning hours, attacking females as they lie sleeping in bed. His victims, numbering to at least 50, were primarily young girls.
Twenty-nine rapes were already linked by law enforcement when they formed a task force in early 1994 named Operation Park. Witness accounts described a man of Polynesian or Māori descent, of middling age, and small stature. Standard policing strategies had not been successful. Their new strategy was to merge published profiles of typical US and UK offenders and modify with local crime data. It all boiled down to a focused DNA sweep, looking for appropriate males from the target area with a history of home burglary. Only Thompson's relatively advanced age fell outside the investigators' expectations, buying him a bit more time as they cycled down their ranked priority lists. A DNA hit eventually came in mid 1995, and a month later 37-year old Joe Thompson plead guilty to multiple violations. His sentence was 30 years in prison with no parole for 25.
There is a video documentary available online called Out of the Dark:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hqnTxH0USY
There is also a book, Caught by his past: How they got the South Auckland serial rapist. I have not read it. Pulling from material available online, here are a few more details.
Personal Characteristics
Previous Arrest Record
Crime MO
Endgame
Here is an earlier thread started by poster bobthebuilder where he links to a paper summarizing Operation Park. A good find. I had not heard of Joe Thompson previously. He seems like another very good point of comparison for the EAR-ONS, along with Ronnie Shelton, Robert Napper, and Delroy Grant.
Twenty-nine rapes were already linked by law enforcement when they formed a task force in early 1994 named Operation Park. Witness accounts described a man of Polynesian or Māori descent, of middling age, and small stature. Standard policing strategies had not been successful. Their new strategy was to merge published profiles of typical US and UK offenders and modify with local crime data. It all boiled down to a focused DNA sweep, looking for appropriate males from the target area with a history of home burglary. Only Thompson's relatively advanced age fell outside the investigators' expectations, buying him a bit more time as they cycled down their ranked priority lists. A DNA hit eventually came in mid 1995, and a month later 37-year old Joe Thompson plead guilty to multiple violations. His sentence was 30 years in prison with no parole for 25.
There is a video documentary available online called Out of the Dark:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hqnTxH0USY
There is also a book, Caught by his past: How they got the South Auckland serial rapist. I have not read it. Pulling from material available online, here are a few more details.
Personal Characteristics
- born August 1958
- Māori descent
- lived in various locations in and around South Auckland
- rare blood type found in 20% of population
- size 10 shoe (footprint left at scene)
- "a little man"
- violent temper; domestic abuser; alcohol abuser
- multiple girlfriends and domestic partners; children
- married shortly before capture
Previous Arrest Record
- initial home burglary as juvenile
- attempted auto theft
- drunk driving
- rape
Crime MO
- prowled areas near current home
- made benefit of non-secure doors and windows
- kept a collection of old keys to help enter homes
- threaten victim with knife taken from kitchen
- brutally beat victims who resisted
- victims ranged from 10-43 years old, most being young girls
Endgame
- rapes continued at rapid pace during investigation
- at one attack location, cut hand and left blood which aided DNA testing
- Operation Park developed six priority lists: offender profiles for targeting DNA screening of men with prior arrest records
- Thompson one year too old to fall into priority list #1; also did not fall into any of the next four lists
- Thompson did fall into list #6; prior conviction for home burglary was key
- refused blood testing citing religious beliefs; submitted to cheek swab testing instead
- initial DNA hit was followed quickly by confirmatory test
- plead guilty to 129 crimes against 47 girls and women, including 46 rapes and 15 sexual violations
- 30-year prison sentence with recommendation of at least 25 years served
Here is an earlier thread started by poster bobthebuilder where he links to a paper summarizing Operation Park. A good find. I had not heard of Joe Thompson previously. He seems like another very good point of comparison for the EAR-ONS, along with Ronnie Shelton, Robert Napper, and Delroy Grant.
