Case study: using forensic data analysis to link crime scenes

Abstract

Burglary crimes inflict a significant toll on society, both financially and psychologically. Most of these cases are never solved, many times because no visible signs of entry or forensic evidence are found at the scene. In this report, we detail a police case involving a series of burglaries in Israel, all of which lacked any visible signs of forced entry. Thirteen burglaries were initially linked by the so-called forensic intelligence method and the analysis of additional forensic data obtained during the inspection of the scene and in the forensic laboratory. Linking seemingly unrelated crime scenes through forensic data analysis can increase the effectiveness of case investigations.