How Forensic Experts Saved A Blind Woman’s Book
How mobile communications, via cell site analysis, has played a successful role in fighting crime
No Hiding Place: wherever you are with a mobile phone, cell site analysis can be used against you if you caught doing something illegally. Image by Anucha Cheechang (via Shutterstock).
Fact: when you switch your mobile phone on, somebody else could trace your whereabouts. There are now ‘find my phone’ tracer apps which are good for tracing lost mobile phones. This is only half of the story. In forensics, we use what is known as Cell Site Analysis. This enables us to trace the whereabouts of a given person at the scene of a crime.
It is hard to imagine where we will be without this method. All kinds of murder cases, petty crime and theft can now be traced by one’s mobile phone. No matter how modest or advanced it is. Here’s a few examples of cases that have been solved with cell site analysis techniques.
How leaving one’s phone at home led to a seven-year sentence
In Bedford, a robbery and an attempted robbery at a convenience store and a bookmakers led to the conviction and sentencing of Earl Patterson (37). The fact he left his phone at home was enough evidence to consider his sentence, thanks to cell site analysis.
One man, a dog, and a mobile phone
Thanks to a dog walker and cell site analysis, a criminal gang was traced in Plymouth. Call logs led to the conviction of the Small family, guilty of stealing several Land Rovers. Much of which took place between August and December 2015.
Where cell site analysis nailed a £71,000 car park heist
In Skegness, cell site analysis was used to look at the internet browsing habits of Samuel Harrison. Using a duplicate, he stole £71,547 from the vaults of East Lindsay District Council at Skegness Town Hall. The money was raised from car parking charges. He was sentenced to two years in jail.
Forensic Assessment, 14 March 2017.
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