43 | Malcolm Fairley: The Crimes of The Fox

Prash's Murder Map: True Crime Podcast

In 1984, a serial burglar and rapist was at large in England, his crimes spanning several Home Counties as well as the northeast of the country. He was armed, masked and dangerous, and he had an unusual calling card – in every house he broke into, he built himself a blanket fort in the living room and made himself at home, watching television and drinking cups of tea. His habit of den-building and the way he slunk off into the countryside after his assaults soon led to him being given the nickname ‘The Fox’. People were fearful, and the police had a tough job on their hands as his attacks crossed multiple jurisdictions. They were learning more about him each time he struck, but they needed to catch him fast before his violence escalated. Who was The Fox, and how would they find him?
Update 29th May 2024
72 year old Malcolm Fairley A.K.A The Fox died at HMP Hull yesterday (Tuesday 28th May) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dde87035po
Note: Thank you to those of you who have correctly pointed out that Malcolm Fairley should not be referred to as a "Geordie", as he was from Sunderland, which makes him colloquially known as a "Mackem". This is a common error and derived from the Brampton victim stating on 18 August 1984 that they recognized his accent as being from "somewhere in the northeast" and erroneously referring to him as a Geordie. I quoted it from there without fully understanding the differences. Apologies for the inaccuracy.
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Sources: https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/nostalgia/crimelibrary/malcolmfairley/whowasmalcolmfairley/
https://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/crime/thirty-five-years-on-from-crime-spree-that-shook-tring-1995858
https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2017/08/03/islander-buys-sketches-by-uks-most-violent-inmate/
https://wearsideonline.com/malcolm-fairley-aka-the-fox/
Liverpool Echo, February 1985
Daily Mirror, July 1984 and February 1985
The Sunderland Echo and Shipping Gazette, December 1938
Evening Chronicle, February 1985
Sunday Mirror, March 1985 Luton/Dunstable on Sunday, November 1999
Leighton Buzzard on Sunday, October 1999