A careless moment thirty years ago resulted in a drop of blood from a bomber's finger falling on a piece of cardboard recovered from a bombed church hall. The analysis technology available today did not exist at that time and this evidence was carefully stored away along with countless other similar items held in the evidence rooms of police warehouses.
This week a suspect was arrested and will face trial over what were termed the "Family Court bombings " that were part of a vendetta to maim or murder judges in the Sydney family court system. Thirty years is a long time to escape justice and the bomber must have figured that he was home free. This outcome must be sending shivers of apprehension down the spine of many others who think that they have successfully evaded detection for crimes committed in the distant past.
The police are constantly mulling over their "cold case " files with regard to the technology available today. These reviews take into consideration the advances in blood technology and other scientific breakthroughs that make sense of what was incomprehensible when the crime was committed - and that evidence can now be used in today's courtroom to gain a conviction.
What must worry the criminal fraternity is the ongoing regularity of these reviews, because the advance of technology is both relentless and wide ranging. What was once insignificant can now tell a story that relates to a conclusion that can be proven in court - and that technology field shows no sign of ever ending. What is stored in those evidence rooms can come back to haunt the perpetrators of crime in the decades yet to come.
Not only is cold case review bringing results, modern technology is a weapon in police hands that often solves what seems a crime devoid of witnesses. A car hits a pedestrian and causes fatal injuries and the driver fails to stop. A few specks of paint can be analysed to give the make and model of the car involved - and the police start to check the cctv camera system in a wide range of surrounding territory.
The extend of security camera use is simply amazing. Some will remember the Jill Meagher murder. Vital evidence came from a shop that had a cctv installed to watch over it's contents - and this camera recorded the street scene outside it's shop window. It showed the victim walking past - followed by the murderer - and established his presence at the crime scene.
When looking for a suspect car the police have access to the council street scene cctv cameras, but also the innumerable private systems in place to keep watch on the forecourt of service stations, clubs, hotels and all manner of commercial businesses. It is time consuming but by culling through the footage it becomes possible to identify and track a car - and eventually one of these views records it's registration number, resulting in a knock on the door and some questions for the driver to answer.
It was evident in the family court bombing vendetta that someone was taking personally the decision of a family court judge that must have gone against his wishes and was intent of taking revenge - to the extent of murder. The police had their suspicions, but were unable to put together a compelling brief of evidence to enable charges to be laid.
This trial has yet to convince a judge and jury but it will be of high public interest and no doubt the criminal fraternity will be very attentive to learn how the blood connection was made that resulted in an arrest after such a long period of time.
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