Britain's biggest police force said today it would reopen more than 1,500 unsolved rape cases using new forensic evidence to catch those responsible and unmasking a host of serial rapists in the process.
London's Metropolitan police force said improvements in DNA technology meant that samples on clothes or at the scene of the rapes which were not found at the time of the crimes could now be obtained and checked against a national DNA database.
"If I was a rapist I would be worried because sooner or later we are going to get to you," said Detective Chief Inspector Richard Walton, head of the Met's rape inquiry unit.
"We will undoubtedly uncover serial rapists who have been totally undetected in the past."
Mr Walton said he was optimistic of getting a one in three success rate. With the Met re-examining 1,544 rapes committed between 1987 and 1999, that could result in more than 500 cases being solved.
So far 25 cases have been studied by forensic scientists,with DNA evidence providing prime suspects for six offences.
"I think we are obliged to look at these cases again. We have evidence sitting in our laps that could convict people of one of the most serious crimes," Mr Walton said.