Police seek public's help to identify author of more than 100 threatening letters
Australian federal and New South Wales police have released excerpts of anonymous letters in a bid to identify the author of more than 100 threatening letters sent to politicians, religious organisations and community leaders over a decade.
The letters, sent between 2015 and 2026, include content that police say constitutes threatening or harassing behaviour. The author uses the pseudonyms 'Scorpio' and 'Bullit' and has a distinctive printed handwriting style, with prominent capitalisation of the letters 'F', 'L', 'T', 'N' and 'H'.
Police have appealed for the public's help in identifying the author, who they believe is a man of Caucasian appearance in his 60s.
Coverage comparison
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and The Guardian both reported on the police investigation, focusing on the public appeal for information. Both outlets highlighted that more than 100 letters were sent between 2015 and 2026, that the author used the pseudonyms 'Scorpio' and 'Bullit', and that the handwriting featured distinctive capitalisation.
ABC Australia's coverage emphasised the public's role in helping to identify the author, while The Guardian framed the story as a mystery surrounding the author's identity. Both quoted police officials and described the letters as threatening or harassing.
The Guardian referred to the letters as 'menacing' and 'harassing', while ABC used the terms 'threatening' and 'offensive'. Both outlets reported that police are investigating under Strike Force Yewrangara and the National Security Investigations team.
Key claims
- More than 100 letters were sent to high-profile community figures, including politicians and religious organisations, between 2015 and 2026, as reported by both ABC Australia and The Guardian.
- The author uses the pseudonyms 'Scorpio' and 'Bullit', according to both outlets.
- The letters contain a distinctive handwriting style with capitalisation of certain letters, including 'F', 'L', 'T', 'N' and 'H', as noted by both ABC Australia and The Guardian.
- The letters include threatening or harassing behaviour, according to police statements reported by both outlets.
- The letters contain newspaper clippings and images of prominent people, a detail reported by ABC Australia.
- Police are investigating under Strike Force Yewrangara and the National Security Investigations team, as reported by both ABC Australia and The Guardian.
- The offender is believed to be a Caucasian man in his 60s, according to both outlets.
- Police have "very real concerns" about the content of the letters and are working to prevent any escalation into behaviour that could endanger the community, as quoted by both ABC Australia and The Guardian from AFP Superintendent Nathan Robertson.
"We have very real concerns about the content of these letters, and people in public life deserve to go about their jobs or careers without being subject to harassment or threats," he said.
Police have released excerpts of the letters, including one with a menacing smiley face and bullet-casing impressions for eyes, above the signature "Scorpio". The author has also referred to themselves as "Bullit" and often capitalises the letters "F", "L", "T", "N" and "H".
While the author's identity remains a mystery, police say they are closing in on the offender. Robertson also noted concerns about whether the person responsible has access to appropriate health and support services.
"Our investigations are into allegations of criminal behaviour, but we also have concerns about whether the person responsible for them has access to appropriate health and support services," he said.
Police have asked anyone who recognises the handwriting or has information about the letters to come forward.