Crime fighting edge

By Tania Martin
YARRA Ranges police are proving that fingerprinting and forensic evidence is vital in order to catch thieves.
Since 2004 the Yarra Ranges crime desk has solved more than 190 cases with the help of forensic evidence.
But police say it is not just the use of finger printing and DNA evidence that is catching up with criminals but the use of the latest technology and equipment to detect various types of forensic evidence to link them to crime scenes.
The Yarra Ranges crime desk is one of 23 which were up set across Victoria to help solve crimes such as burglaries, car thefts and wilful damage.
Sergeant Craig De Lacy, officer in charge of the Yarra Ranges crime desk, said it was not all about DNA and fingerprinting, but that it’s a joint effort between local police officers and the crime desk.
Sgt De Lacy said an example of this was when police were able to catch a night time burglar in Lilydale.
He said a serial offender was breaking into houses in Lilydale at night while people where asleep and steal various items.
But through fingerprinting Sgt De Lacy said police were able to identify the man and the local police set up an operation to catch him.
Sgt De Lacy said although the crime desk was initially set up to deal with property crimes such as burglaries, thefts from cars and criminal damage, it had since expanded.
He said the crime desk now gives people advice and assistance of how to secure their homes to prevent burglaries and gives lectures to the elderly and school students on crime and safety.
Crime desk investigator Senior Constable Robin McGillivray said the unit provides the best possible service to victims of crime.
“Victims see the crime scene officers performing things that they relate to crime solving TV programs, and they feel that they are being given real service in the actions of crime desk members,” he said.
“When people are burgled they are often ticked off that they have had someone in their private space and feel like their privacy has been invaded.
“But the fact that we have been there (to their home), whether we find something or not, that is important to people.”