Peter Tobin - Operation Anagram

Operation Anagram

Operation Anagram is a British police investigation into the movements and life of Tobin, convicted of three murders of young women since 2006. The investigation was started in 2006, after Tobin's first murder conviction, by Detective Superintendent (DSI) David Swindle of Strathclyde Police, and increased in intensity in December 2009 after Tobin's third conviction for murder. Through the HOLMES 2 database, police forces across the United Kingdom are involved in the operation, investigating the possibility of Tobin's connection to dozens of murders and disappearances of teenage girls and young women.

DSI Swindle, speaking after Tobin's 2006 conviction for the murder of Angelika Kluk, said that Tobin's age and the method of the murder sparked the suggestion that he may be a serial killer, as did interviews with Tobin. Anagram led to the discovery of the bodies of Vicky Hamilton and Dinah McNicol. It is believed that as of December 2009, detectives across the UK were following up on up to 1400 lines of inquiry. As part of their renewed enquiries, police are especially interested in tracing the owners of jewellery items found at his homes. In July 2010 it was reported that officers working on Operation Anagram had narrowed their review down to 9 unsolved cases of murder and disappearance. The operation was wound down in June 2011 having failed to identify any more victims, but its email address remains active.