Enigma thief's code baffles detectives

[William Knowles <wk () C4I ORG>]

http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/2000/09/13/timnwsnws02044.html

September 13, 2000

BY ANDREW NORFOLK

DETECTIVES baffled by the theft of Bletchley Park's prized Enigma
coding machine are using codebreakers to crack intricate riddles which
they hope will lead to its recovery.

The museum that housed the 100,000 Second World War cipher device has
received a mysterious letter from someone offering to return it in
exchange for 10,000.

But the letter, typed on a wartime typewriter, is written in such an
unusual style - and signed with a word that does not exist in the
English dictionary - that police are convinced that it holds the clues
to the machine's whereabouts. Now they want to open negotiations with
the author.

The Enigma machine was used by German military intelligence, the
Abwehr, for ultra secret communications between the Nazi high command.

It was stolen from a glass display case at the Buckinghamshire museum
during an open day on April 1. At least four people were involved in
the raid, which police say could not have succeeded without expert
inside knowledge of both Bletchley Park and the Enigma machine. Police
have taken hundreds of finger-prints from museum visitors, questioned
staff in detail and conducted an extensive search of the building and
grounds.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Chesterman described the letter, sent
last week, as "the most significant development in the investigation".

One sentence reads: "I have been asked by the current owner the above
Enigma machine, who purchased it in good faith (in good faith being
the operative word) to say and tell you now today, the unwitting
person having no ultimate desire of depraving your august self or
anyone the pleasure to see it again." Police have refused to reveal
the unusual word which appears at the end of the letter.

The main clue to the letter's authenticity is a photographed copy of
the unique number plate, G312, which was attached to the stolen
machine.

Expert codebreakers are now studying the letter, which purports to
come from a middle man representing someone who innocently bought the
Enigma machine, not realising that it had been stolen, and who now
wants to return it in exchange for compensation equal to the sum paid
and immunity from prosecution.

Mr Chesterman said yesterday that the police were willing to deal with
the author as the letter requested.


*==============================================================*
"Communications without intelligence is noise;  Intelligence
without communications is irrelevant." Gen Alfred. M. Gray, USMC
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