Here at Ginger Nuts of Horror, we support independent journalism and freedom of the press. So we’re happy to be able to run this intriguing article by the brilliant Steve Toase concerning some new articles from the last three years. Each taken in isolation seems innocent enough, if bizarre, but taken together… well, judge yourselves. I’m not saying I am a tinfoil hat-waring conspiracy nut. But all I’m saying is there is crap going down. Thanks to Steve for trusting us with his work. And if any of you can shed any light on this, please get in touch with the site; I feel like this may be the tip of the iceberg…
Jim Mcleod
The Strange Case of the Strange Cases by Steve Toase
Over the past few years, several news reports have emerged featuring a particular variety of luggage. Only with hindsight do they seem to be linked. Here, Fortean writer Steve Toase looks at some of these intriguing stories that may, or may not, be connected.
(N.B. I was putting together this summary for a magazine, but after recent revelations from Kit Power about something called Millionaires’ Day, they got cold feet. I hope that you can get this out there. There’s something here, and it deserves to be read. Steve Toase 20/9/2024)
The Strange Case of the Strange Cases
No Flies on These Burglars
For our first news report we need to go to the county of Somerset, deep in the south west of the country. With Glastonbury in the middle of the Somerset Levels. The area is no stranger to the odd and weird. But a series of burglaries in the latter part of 2019 left police baffled.
In every reported robbery the burglaries had been carried out with a high level of professionalism. With threats of violence, but no-one actually injured. In most cases the victims were reluctant to report the crimes. With the robberies only coming to light due to the intervention of concerned relatives. Most of the victims were, vulnerable, and did not seem the traditional target for such an accomplished group of thieves. No DNA was found at the scene, no forensic evidence at all. The descriptions were always the same. A group of four men, with London accents, who sent a child to the door to gain access. Every time, they made their escape in a green transit style van with yellow lettering.
What makes this especially intriguing is some local investigators believe the robberies are connected to an incident of fly-tipping reported shortly after by a local farmer. After seeing a green van pull up in a layby, the farmer watched four men get out and dump almost twenty shiny black cases. Despite their time exposed to the elements, they remained so shiny it was possible for him to see his reflection. The number of cases recovered does not match those crimes reported, suggesting far more individuals haven’t come forward.
(Somerset Tribune 19/10/2022)
The Strange Case of the Strange Cases
The Case for Art
Taylor Delight is a well known artist in the Wolverhampton art scene, and mildly infamous for his appearance at the Turner Prize back in the eighties. For many years, it was believed in the art community that his best days were behind him. That is, until the spring of 2023 when rumours started to circulate of a new installation he was intending to debut. However, following interest from a local gallery and posters appearing to publicise a vernissage. Taylor Delight disappeared, all traces of the proposed artwork disappearing with him.
Until the Midlands Art Monthly got in touch with the gallery and found Delight had sent them some preliminary photos. Which the magazine published in their November 2023 issue. Although the images are not of the best quality, due to the fanzine production values of the magazine. They clearly show a stonehenge type structure of hard shell suitcases, with Taylor’s face clearly shown reflected in the surface. No mention was made of the cases by the investigating officers, and it now seems like Taylor Delight will not be found, but the mystery has seen his earlier work rise in value.
(Midlands Art Monthly, November 2023)
Luggage Can Be A Heavy Burden
Throughout the winter of 2019 and spring of 2020, police around the country made several disturbing discoveries. In each investigation a body was found inside a hard shell suitcase. With the police commenting each time on how reflective the surface was. There was no consistency in age, gender, racer, economic class, or race. In each case, the only factor in common was that all the suitcases holding the bodies were identical. For many months, each police force investigated their murder independently, and it was only after a conference where two senior officers got talking. That they made the link and put forward the theory they were dealing with a serial killer.
From the information released, the method of killing was different in each death, with some having forensic evidence pointing to relatives. While others remained clean. It is not clear if the serial killer theory is viable, but of those trials that have so far gone in front of a jury, the defence have used the argument to establish reasonable doubt.
(Northern Call September 5th 2020, Macclesfield Daily Review November 8th 2020. The Suffolk Daily Ensign July 3rd 2020, The Stoke Sunday Bugle February 23rd 2020, The Harringay Intelligencer August 15th 2020)
The Justified Agents of Money
To end on a more positive note, several charities have seen large donations of cash money. The amounts have never been disclosed, they are believed to be in the region of six figures. Details are sketchy, often provided by charity service users who witnessed the donation. Sometimes the gift was left on the charity doorstep. Other times, an individual entered the building, left the donation by the reception desk, and went before anyone could ask their identity.
The current theory is that it is an artist stunt, reminiscent of the K Foundation’s performance art on the island of Jura, but with a more altruistic outcome.
It’s unclear how many charities have benefited from this generosity, but the examples we’ve seen reported count at least eleven. In each occurrence, the money is contained in a black suitcase, the surface polished to a mirror finish, and in every case the money was paper money. Even though the new polymer notes had been introduced by the time the donations were made.
(Clacton Daily Clarion January 23rd 2020, Bournemouth News Bounty February 17th 2020, Scunthorpe Citizen 22nd March 2020)
It’s also worth noting that all these articles came from early paper editions of the publications in question. No mention of the stories in the online versions of the newspapers. I did contact a number of the editors to see if there was any reason for this, but none would take my calls. I do not believe this is a coincidence and definitely merits further investigation.
As Charles Fort said, ‘One measures a circle, beginning anywhere.”. While it is too easy to speculate whether these are just coincidences. It’s not unheard of for bodies to be hidden in suitcases, or burglars to use such luggage to transport their ill-gotten gains. It will be interesting to see if more stories connected to the polished black hard shelled suitcases emerge in the next few weeks.
Find out more about the mysterious Millionaires’ Day here.
Steve Toase
I was born in North Yorkshire, England, and now live in Munich, Germany.
My fiction has appeared in Nightmare Magazine, Shadows & Tall Trees 8, Analog – Science Fiction and Fact, Three Lobed Burning Eye, Shimmer, and Lackington’s amongst others. Three of my stories have been reprinted in Ellen Datlow’s Best Horror of the Year series.
My debut short story collection ‘To Drown in Dark Water’ is now out from Undertow Publications www.undertowpublications.com/shop/to-drown-in-dark-water.
As well as fiction, I have been published in Back Street Heroes Custom Motorbike Magazine, 100% Biker, Kerrang Magazine, and Imperica Magazine. I also write regularly for Fortean Times and Folklore Thursday.
From 2014 I worked with Becky Cherriman and Imove on Haunt, the Saboteur Award shortlisted project inspired by my own teenage experiences. About Harrogate’s haunting presence in the lives of people experiencing homelessness in the town.
I recently worked with astrophysicist Dr Chris Harrison on a script for a planetarium show designed for people with a vision impairment.
I also like old motorbikes and vintage cocktails.
You can keep up to date with my work via my Patreon www.patreon.com/stevetoase, www.tinyletter.com/stevetoase, facebook.com/stevetoase1, and @stevetoase on Twitter
