Police’s new weapon to crack open cold cases

Cold case detectives could now solve more than 145,000 unsolved cases thanks to groundbreaking developments.

NSW Police are using groundbreaking technology to give crims the finger - literally.

More than 145,000 unsolved cases, from break and enters to some of the state’s longest standing, most baffling unsolved murders, could soon be solved now that police officers can match prints from the phalange area of the hand - the part between the tip and the palm.

News.com.au can reveal fingerprint experts are meticulously sorting through 400,000 possible new fingerprint matches across 145,600 different cases.

The upgraded National Automated Fingerprint Identification System also has stronger searching power and capabilities to be able to pick up matches better.

Assistant Commissioner Scott Whyte, who heads forensic evidence and technical services, said the new technology “is going to provide an opportunity for multiple cold cases to be resolved based on a portion of the fingerprint that wasn’t previously used”.

Fingerprint Expert Daniel Sommerville, left and Senior Technology Cordinator Christopher Grady with the new software they’re confident will crack open uhundreds of unsolved cases. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Now it’s not just the fingertips that can land criminals in hot water, it’s the rest of the finger they need to worry about. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

“We’ve taken that part of the hand in prints even back in the day when we used ink, but we couldn’t do anything with it, but now even all of those prints from back then, the science has caught up and we can use them.”

NSW Police fingerprint expert Christopher Grady told news.com.au the database, which contains 9.4 million sets of prints, significantly expanded the potential of getting matches and solving crimes.

Experts are now working with detectives, sharing information on 110 cold cases where there have been new identifications - 11 of which have been from prints found on phalange areas only.

“These new identification cases include attempted murder, sexual assault, arson, drugs, firearms offences, armed robbery, assault, stolen motor vehicles and property theft,” Mr Grady said.

“The phalange prints can be picked up on handles of knives and weapons, poles, door handles … anywhere where someone would grip onto something.”

“There are currently a number of cold case hits with these types of prints – six to seven new suspects for cold case assaults, robberies and one attempted homicide from 2008 which has identified a brand-new person of interest.”

A 2021 homicide reconfirmed an existing suspect using phalange print technology.

The breakthrough is so new that police remain tightlipped about the specific cases, so as not to jeopardise any investigations.

But NSW Police fingerprint expert Daniel Sommerville said the technology gives police an opportunity they have never had before.

“It’s a very exciting new era giving us opportunities to solve crimes and identify prints at scenes that we wouldn’t have been able to identify before.

“It’s the first time that we have been able to take prints from the entire hand. This is a once in a generation upgrade and we are confident it is going to bring us some amazing results in solving crimes.”

Fingerprint Expert Daniel Sommerville and Senior Technology Cordinator Christopher Grady say cold cases will be solved. Photo: NewsWire/Gaye Gerard

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Whyte has no doubt there will be hundreds of cases solved in the next 12 months thanks to the new fingerprint technology. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Mr Whyte said he has no doubt there will be hundreds of cases solved in the next 12 months.

“I am amazed at the science, but more so the passion of these who work within the forensic and technical space of NSW Police, dipping their toe into all of these streams of science coming on board that is going to lead to the resolution of some of the most serious cold cases we have,” he said.

“The science is evolving at a rate of knots. Things that we are talking about now, if you mentioned to me when I was a young detective it was pie in the sky stuff.

“The evolution of technology and science in policing is immeasurable. The art of being a detective now is supplemented by technology and science.”

Originally published as Police’s new weapon to crack open cold cases