The hunt for the White Mark II Ford Cortina - Yorkshire Ripper
As the 'Tracking Inquiry', which was started in connection with the Irene Richardson murder, was discontinued the hunt for a white Mark II ford Cortina began.
A nightwatchman saw a car draw away from the scene of the Maureen Long attack on the 10th July 1977 and described it as a white Mark II Ford Cortina.
Details of 5,000 owners of Mark II Ford Cortina's living in West Yorkshire were obtained from the Police National Computer.
3,000 owners were interviewed by police officers, but no positive evidence was obtained. Peter Sutcliffe did not own a car of this type although, as has been mentioned previously, he owned a white Ford Corsair which did have the correct track width to fit the marks left at the Irene Richardson scene and was probably the vehicle involved in both crimes.
The attempted murder of Maureen Long, which was investigated by Assistant Chief Constable Oldfield from an incident room established in Bradford, was immediately linked with the series in a West Yorkshire Police crime circulation issued on the 11th July 1977.
