3 B’s: Bullet Holes, Bite Marks, and Blue ALS
Tired of steaming open envelopes to read the secret messages inside? How about not knowing if the guy with the pudgy hands and lazy right eye standing next to you once held the murder weapon? Is that really a bullet hole? I know, so many questions and not enough answers. Until…
1. Bullet Hole Examination Kit – Sometimes it becomes necessary to determine if the bloody hole in a murder victim’s shirt was actually caused by a bullet, or something else (stick, fireplace poker, ice pick, sword, car antenna, maestro’s baton, etc.). So, the savvy detective then reaches for her handy-dandy Bullet Hole Identification Kit. These kits contain an assortment of reagents (in app. 22 seperate eye-dropper-type bottles) that detect the presence of lead and copper that’s typically left behind when a bullet passes through an object. ($325.00 per portable test kit)
2. Paint Cans – Arson scene evidence, such as material containing accelerants, is collected and then stored in new, lined or unlined paint cans. Metal paint containers are perfect for the job because they’re airtight and leak-proof. ($23.25 per four 1-gallon unlined cans with lids. $36.10 per four lined cans with lids).
3. Footprints in the Snow – Most casting materials generate enough heat to melt surrounding snow, making it nearly impossible to pour and save/retain a suitable casting of footprints, tire tracks, etc. Therefore, investigators should first spray the snow with an insulator of some kind, such as Arrowhead Forensics’ Snow Impression Wax. The wax provides enough insulation to prevent melting and to lock in fine detail. ($20.70 per 15 oz. spray can)
4. See-Through – Once again we visit Arrowhead Forensics to have a peek at a product aptly named See-Through, a spray-on material that when spritzed on an envelope it enables the user to easily observe and/or read the contents inside. The material does not alter ink, and it leaves no trace that it was there. ($31.00 per 100ml spray can)
5. Ferrotrace – An iron-detection spray that’s used to reveal if a suspect has touched a gun. The spray reacts with invisible traces of iron that’s found on weapons. By using this product, detectives can quickly scan the hands of everyone at a crime scene to determine if they’d touched a gun. How? Well, the guilty party will be the person with bright purple hands. ($41.00 per 100ml spray can)
6. Crime Cam Examiner+ – A Canon Powershot camera equipped with a unique ring light. The ring light circles the lens and provides the necessary alternate light sources (ALS) dictated by specific need. Ideal for photographing bite marks, bruising, trace and biological evidence often found in cases of domestic violence. ($3200.00)
