Got A Better Solution?

"It's amazing to watch their faces drop as they realize they are not meeting who they thought they were. This guy from Birmingham was the biggest scumbag ever. He took a lot of steps to make sure we were real. He said he'd been duped before. He asked us for pictures, phone calls."
Scumm Buster

That's quite the nomenclature, but then Scumm Buster is the nom de plume of a man who is an integral member of the Letzgo Hunting group. They just happen to be a team of six mothers and fathers who have an online presence as teen-age girls. The better to lure child molesters; to identify them, to arrange to meet with them, to photograph them, and publicize their names as child molesters.

And, just incidentally, turn the information they glean over to police.

"Unfortunately these kinds of public 'naming and shaming' activities can actually have a negative effect on victims of child abuse. While we understand the strong feelings that motivate this kind of activity, it can seriously affect the chances of success in court, preventing victims from getting justice and increasing the chances of offenders walking free", countered a spokesman for Leicestershire police.

Sour grapes? Professional embarrassment? Civilian competition? Yes, conforming to the letter of the law, luring someone toward an indecent criminal act might present as a problem. But this group of British parents appear to have been fed up by the incidence of online predators targeting naive young girls and committing crimes for which they face few penalties due to the difficulties of detection.

The defending dozen had decided to be vigilant on behalf of the vulnerable young who have fewer capabilities to protect themselves. Vigilante action in the guise of masquerading as underage girls, offering photographs and gathering webchat information, simply presented to these enterprising parents as a way in which they could fight back.

As part of the process they offer to meet the predators anxious to acquire an illegal sex partner because they have a predilection toward molesting young children. Police have confirmed that due to the undercover work of this group they have arrested seven individuals, relying on the evidence gathered by the Letzo Hunting group since its January formation.

Good work, actually. And until the police come up with better solutions to a vexing and serious criminal problem of predators gaining the confidence of curious young girls, the Letzgo Hunting group should be lauded. Perhaps commended, as well, for their highly motivated, strikingly successful ploy ferreting out society's unspeakable low-lifes.