POLICE.UK Interactive Film Reveals How a Burglary is Investigated

Thanks to Christine Graham Consultancy for bringing my attention to this item.

A new film showing how crime is processed through the criminal justice system has been launched on POLICE.UK at this link: http://www.police.uk/information-and-advice/court-service/in-action/

Viewers hear from a Police Constable, a Crime Scene Investigator and Detective Inspector, all describing their role in the burglary investigation.

The film helps provide context to the data on the police.uk website. It also highlights the importance of witnesses to a case and lets the public know what they can expect under the Victims’ Code.

You can also view it on You Tube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlFjLIobQeE

TCPW Comment:  Whilst this video is helpful it is unfortunately one more example of a lost opportunity to explain why crime prevention, even when it doesn’t work, is still helpful in terms of evidence gathering.

Here are some examples:

• If your timber windows are securely locked then the thief is going to have to use considerable force to lever them open.  This is likely to improve the detail of any tool marks left on the frames.  The same will also be true for marks left on doors and doorframes.
• A very well locked door, which has to be kicked many times in order to force it open may result in a higher number of useful shoe marks
• Substantially locked windows can make the thief enter through broken glass, increasing the chances of glass fragments being found in a suspect’s clothes.  It can also result in suspect’s clothing fibres and sometimes blood being left at the scene of the crime.
• Stolen property found on a suspect that has been marked in such a way that it can be traced back to the scene of a crime can provide vital evidence to support a prosecution
• Activated alarm systems record the time of activation and the times individual detectors were triggered by the intruder.  This may provide valuable time evidence in respect to the investigation of a suspect’s alibi.
• The correct level of lighting can make the difference of identifying a suspect or not.
• DNA spraying devices, such as Chain Reaction DNA, can leave a unique mark on the suspect and their clothes for weeks
• Trellis topping and thorny shrubs growing over fences and gates can pull off clothing fibres

I could go on, but I think an extra minute on this video, highlighting the importance of crime prevention for detection would have been invaluable.  I shall drop them a line!

In the meantime, do please watch the video to understand a little more about burglary investigation