A strategy for the forensic detection of distraction burglary

Abstract

Although much reduced in recent years, distraction burglary involving elderly or vulnerable victims continues to make up ∼ 4% of recorded UK domestic burglaries. Detection of these offences by forensic means, such as DNA or fingerprints, can be problematic due to the forensic awareness of the offender and a lack of recall by the victim. In this study, we consider a range of measures designed to improve the forensic detection of distraction burglary using trace DNA or fingerprints. Our findings show that attendance at a distraction burglary by two crime scene investigators, one of whom conducted a cognitive interview of the victim, produced a statistically significant increase in the number of offences detected using trace DNA when the deception involved the offender purporting to be from a utility company. For this deception, a cognitive interview of the victim did not produce increases in the number of offences detected using fingerprints. A cognitive interview of the victim for other deceptions did not produce an increase in trace DNA detections although the frequency of both DNA and fingerprint recovery was reduced, thereby saving time and resources. This success of trace DNA detection is due to the careful targeting of surfaces by the crime scene investigator for DNA recovery, based on information received from the victim. Attendance by crime scene investigators up to 2 h after an offence was reported had no statistically significant effect on the forensic detection of the offence. We include a strategy for the forensic examination of distraction burglary.