KEY POINTS:
Wellington police are following positive leads after releasing a picture of a distinctive bandana left behind at one of the sex attacks that have been plaguing the city over the past 18 months.
The black bandana covered in skulls and drawings of a swastika, a crucifix and the satanic marking 666, was left behind when a rapist used it to throttle a 22-year-old woman last July.
The attack was one of a series in the city that have police so concerned they have set up a special squad of detectives to try to crack the cases.
The team is looking at eight cases from the past 18 months -- all but one within a 3km radius in Wellington City -- which may be linked.
In each case the victim was attacked from behind in the early hours of the morning and sexually assaulted, many of them violently.
Operation head Detective Sergeant Damian Murphy told NZPA a picture of the bandana that was released yesterday had resulted in several responses from the public that had provided lines of enquiry police were now following.
"There's been several sightings of people in possession of material like that and we're making enquiries as to the circumstances and the identity of the persons who have that material.
"So it's been a positive response and we're continuing to follow the responses up."
All the calls had come from the latest publicity, Mr Murphy said.
- NZPA
