Who is Mr. Cruel?

Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, an unidentified man known only as Mr. Cruel struck fear into the hearts of families across Melbourne, Australia. Masked and terrifyingly Mr. Cruel abducted and assaulted young girls in orchestrated home invasions. Despite one of the most intense investigations in Australian criminal history his identity remains a mystery.

Mr. Cruel was no ordinary predator. He wore a ski mask and gloves, used American phrases, and carried a small-caliber gun. His attacks had extreme planning, patience, and control. He often disabled phone lines, left no forensic evidence, and spent hours in the victims’ homes without being detected until it was too late.

He never killed during the known attacks… until one girl vanished and never came back.

Known Attacks Linked to Mr. Cruel

August 22, 1987 — Lower Plenty

Mr. Cruel broke into a family home and tied up the parents and son at gunpoint.