into my car and went to where the getaway vehicle had been found.
A police officer protected the car. It was my intention to undertake a preliminary examination of the vehicle so that it could be removed for a comprehensive and much longer examination back in the privacy of a police station. I would also search the alleyway down which a witness had seen the two suspects run.
My first thoughts were to secure any evidence around the vehicle, perhaps a shoe mark in the mud or item dropped. I would then search the vehicle for large items which it would be important to know about immediately, perhaps the stolen money bag or a loaded firearm. I would then examine the driver’s area for fibres and then any other areas (gear stick, hand brake) which would have to be touched to allow the removal by tow truck to the police station.
The engine was still running when the vehicle had been abandoned and there was a key in the ignition. On closer examination it was not the original manufacturer’s key. It was a new key, that was obvious from its clean undamaged appearance. At one end (the end which one would attach to a key ring) was a plastic covering that contained the inscription ‘Curtis’, which was a replacement car key brand. In my initial observation of the car I had also noticed that the boot lock was missing. Things were coming together. From examining many similar vehicles I had realised something that the criminals also knew. On this particular model of this particular car the specific number to the ignition key was marked on the boot lock barrel. So it was common in such cases for thieves to remove the barrel from the parked car, go to a local replacement key supplier, give the number and get a key. They would then return to the vehicle and steal it. I am glad to say that such an opportunity was removed in later designs.
I also saw on the key, before thinking of how to remove it, some scratches. They looked like the indentations made when someone bit a semi-hard plastic. Which in fact, they were. They were teeth marks.
It was the scratches which particularly intrigued me. They were only small but I had on many occasions used evidence resulting from when a screwdriver or similar implement is used to force open a metal cash box or the like. The screwdriver leaves scratches or striations which are unique to the tool which made them. Even a new screwdriver can leave striations from the milled or ground edge and these will show up under a microscope. When a tool is damaged from regular use, the resulting pitting leaves a wave of striations which makes the evidence all the more obvious. So although I was sure that the marks looked like bite marks, it was the striations from the damaged end of the donor’s teeth that immediately struck me as evidential.
I also had to consider the possibility that as these were teeth marks I could assume the presence of saliva. This was before the days of DNA but saliva could in some case reveal the blood group of the donor. Although not totally specific it was a useful investigative tool. It could include or certainly eliminate a suspect. There was also a smooth area which was worthy of fingerprinting, although I decided not to at this early stage for fear of damaging the saliva and the bite-mark evidence.
The vehicle, duly preserved, was removed to the local police station for my full examination later. That would take at least another four hours and I still had the alleyway to examine.
The alleyway led directly from the open door of the getaway vehicle behind some garages to an open waste area and dwellings beyond. The usual amount of litter and vegetation could be found and would make the examination complex. What made things a little easier were the presence of a few items of clothing left almost in sequence along the path. I recorded the location of each before making a very delicate examination and then placing each item in separate exhibit bags. I would normally have completed a
A police officer protected the car. It was my intention to undertake a preliminary examination of the vehicle so that it could be removed for a comprehensive and much longer examination back in the privacy of a police station. I would also search the alleyway down which a witness had seen the two suspects run.
My first thoughts were to secure any evidence around the vehicle, perhaps a shoe mark in the mud or item dropped. I would then search the vehicle for large items which it would be important to know about immediately, perhaps the stolen money bag or a loaded firearm. I would then examine the driver’s area for fibres and then any other areas (gear stick, hand brake) which would have to be touched to allow the removal by tow truck to the police station.
The engine was still running when the vehicle had been abandoned and there was a key in the ignition. On closer examination it was not the original manufacturer’s key. It was a new key, that was obvious from its clean undamaged appearance. At one end (the end which one would attach to a key ring) was a plastic covering that contained the inscription ‘Curtis’, which was a replacement car key brand. In my initial observation of the car I had also noticed that the boot lock was missing. Things were coming together. From examining many similar vehicles I had realised something that the criminals also knew. On this particular model of this particular car the specific number to the ignition key was marked on the boot lock barrel. So it was common in such cases for thieves to remove the barrel from the parked car, go to a local replacement key supplier, give the number and get a key. They would then return to the vehicle and steal it. I am glad to say that such an opportunity was removed in later designs.
I also saw on the key, before thinking of how to remove it, some scratches. They looked like the indentations made when someone bit a semi-hard plastic. Which in fact, they were. They were teeth marks.
It was the scratches which particularly intrigued me. They were only small but I had on many occasions used evidence resulting from when a screwdriver or similar implement is used to force open a metal cash box or the like. The screwdriver leaves scratches or striations which are unique to the tool which made them. Even a new screwdriver can leave striations from the milled or ground edge and these will show up under a microscope. When a tool is damaged from regular use, the resulting pitting leaves a wave of striations which makes the evidence all the more obvious. So although I was sure that the marks looked like bite marks, it was the striations from the damaged end of the donor’s teeth that immediately struck me as evidential.
I also had to consider the possibility that as these were teeth marks I could assume the presence of saliva. This was before the days of DNA but saliva could in some case reveal the blood group of the donor. Although not totally specific it was a useful investigative tool. It could include or certainly eliminate a suspect. There was also a smooth area which was worthy of fingerprinting, although I decided not to at this early stage for fear of damaging the saliva and the bite-mark evidence.
The vehicle, duly preserved, was removed to the local police station for my full examination later. That would take at least another four hours and I still had the alleyway to examine.
The alleyway led directly from the open door of the getaway vehicle behind some garages to an open waste area and dwellings beyond. The usual amount of litter and vegetation could be found and would make the examination complex. What made things a little easier were the presence of a few items of clothing left almost in sequence along the path. I recorded the location of each before making a very delicate examination and then placing each item in separate exhibit bags. I would normally have completed a
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