Theft investigation
When constructing a methodology for investigating thefts, it is most important to take into account the method of their commission, primarily by whom, where, what and how it was stolen.
The methods for investigating burglaries and burglaries from state and public storage facilities are of greatest practical importance.
The investigation of burglaries begins, as a rule, in the absence of any information about the persons who committed the crime. In this regard, initial investigative actions and their skillful combination with operational search activities aimed at detecting criminals and stolen property become especially important.
The most important initial investigative actions in these cases are inspection of the scene of the incident, interrogation of the victim and eyewitnesses. The main task of these actions is to collect the data necessary to build versions of the persons who committed the theft and to search for stolen property.
Such data includes, first of all, information about the acquaintance of the criminal with the victim and the place of the theft. Apartment burglaries are often committed by persons who are in one way or another connected with the victim: his relatives, neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances. The criminal’s knowledge of the victim’s home environment and lifestyle inevitably affects the method of committing the crime. Therefore, it is recommended to pay attention to the way the criminal entered the apartment, his knowledge of the structure of door locks, places to store things, location of rooms and emergency exits. The criminal’s orientation at the scene of the theft also affects the speed and purposefulness of his actions, the choice of storage facilities to be opened and the selection of valuables, and the length of stay at the crime scene. Particular attention should be paid to the time of the theft and the choice of stolen valuables. Criminals’ knowledge of the time of absence of apartment residents, the time they received property, money or other valuables, places of their storage, etc. may indicate a certain circle of persons who could commit the theft.
During the investigation of one case, it was established that the theft was committed in the morning during the short absence of the owner, who was making purchases at the market. Usually there was someone in the apartment. The perpetrator was identified among the victim's neighbors.
Information about the profession and occupation of the criminal can often be obtained by studying the method of entering the premises, overcoming barriers, opening locks, and using certain technical means. In some cases, the type and type of property stolen indicate that the criminal has certain professional and technical skills. Thus, car theft, theft of scientific equipment, books, paintings, and other artistic values are usually committed by persons possessing certain professional and technical skills and knowledge.
For example, during the investigation of a series of thefts of television cables, suspicion fell on one of the workers of the television studio. During the search, pliers were confiscated from the suspect, which were identified by traces of the cable being cut at the theft sites.
The profession and occupation of criminals can be determined by the objects, particles of substances and other traces they left behind. Thus, in practice, there was a case of identifying a criminal based on a button from a serviceman’s uniform. In another case, the criminal, who worked as a stoker, was identified by particles of coal brought to the scene of the theft.
Information about the appearance and physical properties of criminals can be obtained by studying the traces of hands, feet, teeth and actions they left behind. Thus, breaking into storage facilities, moving furniture, removing objects located at a certain height, and other actions may indicate the physical strength and height of the criminal. By studying the actions performed at the scene of the theft, it is possible to determine the number of criminals, what traces from the scene of the theft could remain on the body, clothes and tools of the criminals, for example, dust and soot from a destroyed chimney, traces of oil and other food substances, particles of paint on burglary tools and etc.
When staging an apartment burglary in order to conceal the fact of loss or embezzlement of valuables entrusted to the apartment owner, the criminal is psychologically content with simulating traces and external signs of the crime. Criminals succeed in reproducing the method of crime, representing its internal, hidden side, only in exceptional cases. As a result, a detailed study may reveal a discrepancy between the method of the crime allegedly committed and the traces left during the staging. It often turns out that the traces found could not have been left at all using this method of committing the theft. For example, traces of a door being broken into were left not on the outside, but on the inside; traces on the lock shackle were left at a time when the lock was not in the closed, but in the open position; traces at the ends of the puncture or screws indicate not that they were pulled out, but that they were unbent, unscrewed, etc. In other cases, it turns out that with this method of theft there must have been traces left that are actually absent (negative circumstance). For example, there are no footprints found on the dust-covered floor where the criminals must have walked, or there are no traces of moving objects, breaking doors or locks, etc. Staging may also be indicated by traces of aimless damage to objects, their scattering, and a discrepancy between the sequence of traces left and the actions of the criminals. Thus, during the investigation of one of the thefts, based on the location of the pieces of broken glass, it was established that the “criminals” first scattered the things under the window, and only then broke the window from the outside into the room.
During the interrogation of the victim
it is necessary to find out the circumstances under which he discovered the theft and collect information about the stolen property and suspects. In addition to finding out where and when the victim noticed the theft or learned about its commission, you should ask him in detail about the changes that he discovered in the apartment after the theft and which may indicate certain actions of the criminals.
Of great importance for the search for the stolen person is a detailed clarification from the victim of signs of property that disappeared after the theft. In addition to group characteristics (name, quantity, price, grade, color, place of manufacture, etc.), it is important to establish the individual characteristics of a thing, usually known to its owner. These are, for example, numbers of bonds, typewriters, scuffs or tears in clothing resulting from wear, embroidered or otherwise applied marks, inscriptions, ink or oil stains, etc. In order to obtain information about the suspects, it is advisable to find out from the victim who might have known about the presence and location of stolen valuables, whether the victim himself informed anyone about this, whether unauthorized persons visited his apartment in connection with repairs, maintenance of the energy network, or purchase -selling any things, etc.
Operational search activities are carried out simultaneously with investigative actions.
, the nature of which is determined by the collected data on criminals and stolen valuables. If, judging by the circumstances of the case, the criminals are located near the scene of the theft, it is necessary, with the help of police officers, to organize a pursuit in the footsteps of the criminals, ambushes in places where they may appear, or a “combing” of the surrounding area. Along with checking suspicious persons, it is advisable during these activities to identify additional witnesses and obtain from them information about hiding criminals. It is advisable to involve members of the public in these events.
Search for stolen property
Search for stolen property
, as a rule, is carried out by police officers and begins immediately upon receipt of information about the stolen person. For this purpose, inspections of markets, buying points, consignment stores, and pawnshops are organized. If the criminal could go to another place to sell the stolen property, it is necessary to inform the police authorities of the relevant districts and regions about the signs of the criminals and the stolen property.
Of great importance for the search for criminals is the use of forensic records (criminal registration) and material evidence found at the scene of the theft. The fingerprints of the criminals discovered during the inspection of the crime scene must be checked using a fingerprint file. These traces must be sent to the forensic department of the police to compare them with fingerprints found during the investigation of other crimes.
The methods of committing theft established during the investigation must be compared with the methods of similar thefts committed recently in the area. For this purpose, information available in the police and prosecutor's offices is used.
Currently, a number of forensic institutions have carried out experimental work on the creation of computer-based information retrieval systems that make it possible to obtain data on the identity of the criminal and the circumstances of the crime by studying the natural statistical relationships of the elements of criminal activity that appear in representative arrays of criminal cases. This work was carried out separately on an array of burglaries in a large city and thefts of state and public property.
These information retrieval systems can be successfully used to build standard versions when investigating thefts.
If, when comparing the crimes under investigation, a coincidence of the expressed individual characteristics of the method of committing the theft is established, it can be concluded that the thefts being compared were committed by the same person or group of persons. This conclusion is very important for more accurately determining the area of activity and location of criminals, replenishing information about their identities and directly identifying the perpetrators (if they are identified in one of the crimes being compared). Of similar importance is the verification of persons living in a given area who have previously been convicted of similar methods of committing theft.
Cases of pickpocketing are usually initiated as a result of the arrest of a criminal red-handed or at the request of the victim when the criminal managed to escape.
When detained red-handed, the main task of the investigator is to verify the involvement of the detainee in the theft, to detect and procedurally record evidence.
The greatest difficulties are caused by the investigation of pickpockets.
, initiated at the request of the victim when the criminal fled.
In these cases, operational search and investigative actions to identify and detain the criminal become of primary importance. The starting point among such activities is the interrogation of the victim
, during which information is obtained about the stolen valuables, the time, place and method of the theft, and the suspects. When ascertaining the circumstances preceding the theft, attention is paid to the moments when the victim was in a crowd, squeezed or pushed by other persons, when his attention was distracted by throwing an object, exclamations, quarrel or any similar means. Distraction is used by pickpockets to quickly and quietly remove valuables from a pocket, bag, etc. In this case, roles are often distributed: one of the accomplices distracts the attention of the victim, and the other accepts the stolen goods. In some cases, when committing thefts, criminals use devices to disguise their actions (“screens”), artificial hands, etc.
If the victim has doubts against any person, it is necessary to interrogate him in detail about the appearance of that person and the clothes that person was wearing. Then it is advisable for the victim to present an album with photographs of persons who, according to the criminal investigation department, may be involved in pickpocketing. The victim's identification of a specific person should be documented in a protocol.
The circle of suspects in pickpocketing may be limited to studying the method of committing it. Persons who repeatedly commit thefts use the same method of committing it, which allows criminal investigators to identify the criminal. It is essential to study the time, place and special circumstances of pickpocketing, for example, theft from people sleeping on trains, theft from drunks, etc.
If there are reasonable suspicions against a certain person, he is subject to immediate detention and a personal search.
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a personal search of the detainee
with interrogation about the amount of money he has and the contents of documents. The discovery of special devices for committing theft and things belonging to different persons, for example, several watches, wallets, passports, etc., is of serious incriminating significance. A search of the detainee's apartment may also lead to the discovery of similar evidence of his criminal activity. The detainee is fingerprinted and checked against criminal records.
Inspection of the crime scene is advisable in all cases where the criminal could have thrown away stolen or incriminating things, left traces of his presence, as well as for a detailed study of the circumstances and method of committing pickpocketing. When items thrown by a criminal or stolen items are found, they are checked to see if there are fingerprints on them. In a positive case, a fingerprint examination is prescribed. If parts or particles of a substance preserved in the victim’s pockets or bag (fabric, tobacco, dust, hair, etc.) are found on the objects, body or clothing of the suspect, their comparative study and subsequent examination must be carried out.
Of considerable importance in the investigation of pickpocketing is the interrogation of police officers who participated in the arrest, store employees, transport services, etc. about the behavior of the accused at the scene of the theft, the neighbors and colleagues of the accused about his lifestyle, connections, etc.
