TV is closer to truth than we realize

[alfsauve]

Always hearing about how those cop shows on TV are not reality.   Police work isn't like that.  Instant access to sophisticated testing labs just isn't available.   Even in capital cases it takes forever to process evidence.

Okay, so how's this.  We get a weekly "crime report" for our precinct each week.  (PENS....Police Emergency Notification Service)  It's a nice little email, tells us of crime trends and list 3 or 4 of the latest crimes in the neighborhood.

So, here is a case of a little church vandalism.  And WHAM.......just read how they caught this guy.....right out of NCIS

[ <s> = snip of bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo ]

Vandalism to a place of worship

On 11/12/08, vandalism <s> at the Northside Christian Church <s>.  There was fire extinguisher dust throughout the main part of the church. Multiple music stands were stabbed through the dry wall, other holes were made by a baseball bat, D cell batteries were thrown into the walls making holes and large drawings were on the walls in the sanctuary. Follow-up investigation <s>  located cigarette butts in the bottom of the empty baptismal tub near a used deck of cards. The butts were collected and subsequently tested by the GBI crime lab resulting in a DNA CODIS (Combined DNS Index System) match to the suspect, Logan McDaniel. A drawing of similar design to one on the wall of the sanctuary was located on Logan McDaniels Facebook account.

Suspect in custody.

NOTE:  this was a minor property crime and they had no problem in collecting DNA and matching it.

[blackwolfe]

Awhile ago cars were being stolen in the area and showing up at a commuter train station about 45 minutes away.  They kept finding the same brand of cigarette butts in them.  They had a pretty good idea who was stealing the cars.  They ran DNA on the butts and put the guy away.  Not sure how long it took to get the test run or how they got the suspect's DNA, but I was suprised they pursued it for car theft.

[TAB]

That does not sound like a minor property crime to me.

Even if it was not in a church, it still sounds like they did thousands in damage.  nothing minor about that.  Now add ina church, and it becomes alot worse.  Even if its not a "hate crime"  you are still saying "F you" to the people that go there.

[tombogan03884]

 That type of DNA testing is not that expensive or complex any more, I'm not positive but there may be a home test kit on the market.
It's like Bypass surgery, at one time if you got a bypass you went to some BIG name University medical center and got your name in the paper, Same with joint replacement, nowadays they may be major surgery but Dr's crank them out like car repairs because the technology has been more perfected.
It may be a big deal to the patient, but to the doctor it's, "Just another day at the shop ".

[alfsauve]

That does not sound like a minor property crime to me.

Yes, it was an "in-your-face", even if it wasn't a church.  But really, this wasn't all that much damage.   $100s maybe.  Major would have been taking out stain glassed windows, busting all the electronics, setting fire, or turning on all the water and stopping up the drains.

Point is, still, in a state, with a severely underfunded crime lab, they a) have a DNA database and b) have time to process a crime against property, c) using day old cigarette butts.

[Sponsor]

[TAB]

 you would be amazed at how little damage it takes to make it $1000.  Public out cry is a very powerful thing.  For the most part, trashing any church is going to have all the reglious people crying for justice.  The last thing any police cheif/ public offical wants, is getting several calls/vists a day from the public asking why they have not cuaght that guy yet.