Theories and speculation

Theories surrounding the case of the Ipswich serial killer have been appearing fast. In the absence of concrete information from Suffolk police, many are based on speculation.

THE HIDEAWAY

It has been suggested that the women may have been held by their killer before he murdered them and dumped their bodies in rural areas. There appears to be little either to substantiate or dismiss this claim. Police insist they still have no time of death for any of the five young women, or locations of where they were killed. They continue repeatedly to request information on the murder victims' last known whereabouts, and are currently unsure whether the women got into cars off the street or arranged to meet their killer or killers by telephone.

DRUGS

With no traumatic injuries to any of the bodies or signs of a struggle, it has been reported that the women - all known addicts - may have been drugged before they died. Detectives concede this is one line of inquiry, but say they are still awaiting the results of detailed toxicology tests. Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull added: "We know as working girls they are going to get into cars voluntarily because that is the nature of their business."

BMW

Publicity surrounding a blue BMW has led to other reports of drivers in similar cars behaving suspiciously around the Ipswich red light district. One prostitute said she saw her friend Anneli Alderton, 24, getting into such a car with a "chubby" man, though this was hours after police believe the woman's body was first spotted. Since then, a massage parlour doorman has given police details of a matching car he spotted last week, while another man said he had seen Annette Nicholls, 29, getting into a blue BMW a week before she vanished. Det Ch Supt Gull said all sightings were being investigated. The prostitute who made the first claim and the driver of the 'suspect' car had already been interviewed. No arrests have been made.