Slashdot Mirror


Cotton Swabs are the Prime Suspect In 8-Year Phantom Chase

matt4077 writes "For eight years, several hundred police officers across multiple European countries have been chasing a phantom woman whose DNA had been found in almost 20 crimes (including two murders) across central Europe. It now turns out that contaminated cotton swabs might be responsible for this highly unusual investigation. After being puzzled by the apparent randomness of the crimes, investigators noticed that all cotton swabs had been sourced from the same company. They also noted that the DNA was never found in crimes in Bavaria, a German state located at the center of the crimes' locations. It turns out that Bavaria buys its swabs from a different supplier."

9 of 344 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    SHe worked in a swab factory and shuved them all up her vagina.

  2. Now couple this with the death penalty by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Now, imagine this happening in the US, only the woman was caught and executed before the mistake was uncovered.

  3. Re:This is actually pretty scary by mgblst · · Score: 0, Troll

    People wouldn't be working at that swab factory for long. And I am pretty sure the US would bomb it after a few years, after so much terrorist activity seems to be organised at that exact location.

  4. Re:This is actually pretty scary by sumdumass · · Score: 1, Troll

    I didn't say it "caused" a crime scene, you did because you failed to read the page you linked to.

    Try look at the second sentence using the same word (different tense) that I did under the second definition.

    They sailed away without effecting their purpose. --Jowett

    Hmm.. "I said caught before it ever effected one crime scene". I could have said because it wasn't caught, it was effecting the crime scene, but what I really said was if they caught it, it wouldn't have been effecting the crime scene.

    Of course we have to acknowledge that the difference between effected and effecting is one is after the fact and the other is during the fact. Anyways, I'm not sure where you lost control here but I would think it was because you didn't even read what you linked to. However, if you have a better explanation, I would like to hear it. I'm always in the mood for excused for when I do fuck up.

  5. Re:This is actually pretty scary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    If there ever was a sure sign that someone was dumb, it is when they feel the need to use a phrase like, "I call bullshit"

    The second indicator is when they say, "When I was in the army..."

  6. Re:This is actually pretty scary by sumdumass · · Score: 0, Troll

    If you can't be bothered to participate, then don't play in the game.

  7. Re:This is actually pretty scary by sumdumass · · Score: 0, Troll

    While affecting probably would have been more appropriate, effect isn't out of line altogether either. We aren't necessarily talking about the crime scene specifically but the interpretations or opinions of the crime scene created by the police's interpretation of it. The invalid DNA or contaminated cotton swabs wouldn't have changed the crime scene at all, it would have changed the opinions and interpretations of it. What matters in the discussion is how the police view the crime scene so if the invalid DNA effected their view that they were looking for a suspect that is connected with dozens of other crimes... And yes, I meant effected there too.

  8. Re:This is actually pretty scary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Yes, like perfect health, no surgeries, no broken bones, blond hair, blue eyes, no cavities.... oh wait n/m.. that was the SS, my bad!