Concern over ‘creep catcher’ vigilante action
Police and a legal expert are concerned about a self-styled ‘‘creep catcher’’ who pretends to be a minor online, lures adults to a public place, records the interaction and posts the sting video online.
Police fear he may put investigations at risk, while the expert warns he is at risk defaming the people he’s exposing.
The Palmerston North-based catcher, despite admitting his actions are not the best approach, is planning to continue his vigilante crusade.
Connor, who asked for his last name to not be used, recently started posting videos online of what he calls ‘‘creep catching’’.
The premise is not new – Connor was inspired by an English group called the Surrey Creep Catchers.
He and other catchers use dating websites or apps to talk to people, before revealing they are a minor.
They then arrange to meet the other person in a public place, confronting them about allegedly wanting to meet with a minor for sexual activity.
The interactions are filmed and posted online.
Connor said he did no legal research before starting his activities, but thought it was a good cause.
‘‘You can go to jail, come out and you’re fine again,’’ he said.
‘‘People come out, end up on the sex offender register, move somewhere in town and people don’t know who they are.
‘‘When you expose them, I don’t think they’ll try and do it again because they can lose everything – their kids, their family, their job.’’
Dr Bill Hodge, a law professional teaching fellow at the University of Auckland, agreed with police.
‘‘Being a vigilante is something for the frontier, where there are no law officers or enforcement.
‘‘If you notice a neighbour doing something with drugs, rather than smashing him because he’s going to supply to minors, you call the appropriate authorities.’’
People like Connor could get in serious trouble if their stings went wrong, including the risk of defamation.
Hodge compared it with a shop owner putting up photos in store of people they believed had been shoplifting.
‘‘If I get the wrong picture, by putting it up in public, I’ve defamed them.’’
The evidence collected by Connor may not stand up in court, Hodge said.
‘‘When people take the law into their own hands, they are not subject to the process, supervision and legislative control of authorities.’’
There was also the potential for catchers to blackmail the people they lured, Hodge said.
‘‘If you get it wrong, it’s bad for the victim, for you and for society.’’
Connor’s actions have not gone unnoticed and his videos have racked up thousands of views online.
A police spokesperson said they were aware of Connor’s actions.
Although unable to speak about Connor specifically, they said vigilante action could harm police investigations.
‘‘We discourage members of the public from taking matters into their own hands as they could place themselves and members of the public at risk.
‘‘Police would hate to see actions such as these hinder or prevent a prosecution against an online offender.’’
Connor said he would be willing to expose a family member if they were an offender.
‘‘It’s the only way they might learn.’’
‘‘I don’t want to be a vigilante. ‘‘I just want these people going down.’’