How to preserve a crime scene

Review Reporter

fourwaysr@caxton.co.za

Douglasdale police would like to inform the public about how to preserve a crime scene.

A crime scene is any place where a crime has been committed and it can often cover a large area.

Police gather information from a crime scene such as DNA and fibres.

The latest technology makes it possible for the police to link people to places and objects.

However, in order to make use of this technology crime scenes must be preserved and be uncontaminated.

The more the crime scene is damaged, the less evidence can be collected and used in an investigation.

Some tips that the Douglasdale police give for preserving a crime scene are:

– Limit your movement on the crime scene

– Avoid contact with visible evidence

– Leave the scene undisturbed

– Don’t touch or move any items on the scene for example furniture, clothes or food

– Don’t ever use the phone at the crime scene, use a neighbour’s phone instead

– Leave the crime scene but be available for police questioning

– When leaving the scene use an alternative route, not the one used by criminals

– Lock the premises if possible

To report the crime use a neighbour’s telephone or your cellphone to call the police, then wait for the police to arrive.

Details: 10111