Hundreds of cold cases to be reopened
Hundreds of cold case crimes could be reopened after groundbreaking method of detecting fingerprints was developed by Northamptonshire Police forensic experts.
Killers who have so far escaped justice could be convicted in the light of a technique using X-rays and nanoparticles to detect fingerprints, even after they have been washed away.
The method has been pioneered by the force's forensic science support unit, led by Dr John Bond, and scientists from the University of Leicester.
Dr Bond said the technique could help solve hundreds of unsolved crimes. He said: "It's certainly possible hundreds of cold cases could be reopened, because with this method the only way to avoid a fingerprint being detected is through abrasive cleaning, as that takes a layer off the metal.
"It could work for gun crimes, where bullets have been recovered and the offender may have left a fingerprint on the casing that has not been picked up by conventional techniques.
"For the first time, we can get prints from people who handled a cartridge before it was fired.
"Wiping it down, washing it in hot soapy water makes no difference. And the heat of the shot helps the process we use."
The method, one of several breakthroughs developed by Dr Bond's team, involves an electric charge being applied to metals which have been coated in a fine conducting powder.
A removed fingerprint would leave a slight corrosion on the metal.
The scientific support unit will reveal its discovery in detail in the Journal of Forensic Science later this week. The force's collaboration with the University of Leicester was officially launched yesterday.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Breaking News: Teen arrested after five injured in crash on Northamptonshire road
- Major change planned for Northampton’s town centre roads
- BREAKING NEWS: Man who died following crash on Northamptonshire road named by police
- Police swoop at Northamptonshire ‘sex lay-by’ after lewd conduct revelations
- Bully trusted to look after baby jailed for breaking its leg and fracturing its rib
- Waste recycling bins begin arriving at homes across Northamptonshire
- Major change planned for Northampton’s town centre roads
- Torquay 1 - 0 Northampton: Cobblers stay bottom after third defeat in a row at Torquay United
- Police swoop at Northamptonshire ‘sex lay-by’ after lewd conduct revelations
- Cobblers fan charged with racially abusing a black player at Shrewsbury game
- Top Northampton choreographer names Olympic ceremony performance after Chron
- Anger at plans for Northampton pharmacy which wants to open 100 hours a week
- Althorp reveals Earl Spencer’s wife is expecting new baby
- Northampton Saints: Mallinder keen to keep homegrown star Diggin at Gardens
- Manchester United heroes to take on Daventry Town in game refereed by Northamptonshire MP
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northampton
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: West
