NCJ Number
190423
Journal
Crime Mapping News Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: Winter 2001 Pages: 4-6
Date Published
2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes a method that uses a desktop Geographical Information System (GIS) to plot cellular telephone conversations made when crimes are committed, such as hijackings, hostage-taking, kidnapping, rape, and murder.
Abstract
The maps produced in this manner are used in court to help the court understand the sequence of events when the evidence is presented. The maps can also be used as part of the prosecution's evidence against the accused. The billing records of the relevant telephones are obtained through a search warrant; and for each call made before, during, and after the crime commission, the approximate locations of the two telephones are plotted on a map. This technique has been used in three court cases in South Africa. Two of the cases resulted in convictions, and the third case is still before the court. The first case involved the hijacking of a motor vehicle, hostage-taking, and the subsequent rape and murder of the victims. The second case involved the shooting of four victims by an individual. In all three cases, the South African Police Service used search warrants to obtain billing records for the relevant cellular telephones, as well as the locations of the cellular telephone base stations used and their area of coverage. Using digital street maps of Cape Town and Durban and the areas of South Africa from MapStudio as the background, investigators mapped the locations of the telephones when the calls were made, together with the locations of the transmitters and their areas of coverage, from cellular service providers, as well as other places of relevance for the cases. 5 figures