Shoeprint Analysis Combined with Video Investigation to Solve Burglary Cases
January 21, 2025
1. Brief Case Overview
On January 2, 2025, at 18:02, the Haikou City 110 Emergency Service Center received a call from Mrs. Wang reporting a burglary at his residence in the Meili Home Community, Apartment 502, Building 12. Investigators promptly arrived at the crime scene.
According to Mrs. Wang's account, he returned home at approximately 17:55 and discovered signs of a break-in. Upon inspecting the master bedroom, he found that drawers containing cash and jewelry had been ransacked. Notably, a purse containing 5,100 yuan in cash and a jewelry box containing gold bracelets, gold necklaces, and diamond rings were reported missing, with a total estimated value of around 45,000 yuan. Following this discovery, Mrs. Wang immediately contacted the police.
2. Crime Scene Investigation
Investigators conducted a thorough examination of the crime scene and noted that the entry door lock showed no signs of damage. This led to the conclusion that the intruder likely gained access using a key or through technical unlocking methods. After ruling out shoeprints left by family members, investigators identified an unfamiliar type of shoeprint that was notassociated with the household. Utilizing forensic techniques to analyze this shoeprint's trail, they traced it to areas within the home that had been disturbed during the burglary. This evidence suggested that the shoeprint likely belonged to the suspect. Additionally, investigators collected 9 fingerprints from various surfaces, including the entry door, cabinet, satchel, and jewelry box. They also recovered two clear and complete shoeprints from inside the residence.
Figure 1. Security door
Figure 2. Missingproperty
Figure 3. Shoeprintsleft on living room and bedroom floor
3. Detection Process
At the crime scene, investigators identified two clear and complete dusty shoeprints. Forensic technicians photographed and extracted these shoeprints for further analysis. Upon measurement, the shoeprints were found to be between 28.7 cm and 29.3 cm in length and 9.3 cm to 9.7 cm in width. Based on the analysis of the shoeprints, it was estimated that the suspect's height was approximately 183 cm. Additionally, an examination of the pressure patterns within the shoeprints indicated that the suspect had a slender physique.
The shoeprints were cross-referenced with a shoe model database, revealing that they were made by Nike flat sneakers. Investigators promptly forwarded images of several models of these shoes to the video investigation department in hopes of generating leads related to the case.
Figure 4. On-siteshoeprint analysis
Figure 5. Shoe modelsquery results (a pair of Nike flat sole sneakers)
After receiving theshoe sample information, the video investigators immediately launched an investigation into the surrounding surveillance footage. The crime scene is located in an older neighborhood where video conditions are poor, and the incident occurred at the entrance and exit of the residential community, which lacks video surveillance. There are a total of three cameras in the district: one at the front door of the community, one at the back door of the community, and one in the central square of the neighborhood.
Video analysis for this casehad several favorable conditions: (1) the time of the crime could be confirmedas occurring in the afternoon of the same day, since the homeowner returnedhome briefly during midday and reported that no theft had taken place at thattime; (2) technicians provided a description of the suspect as a tall, thin male wearing flat shoes, possibly Nike sneakers. Based on these two points of information, the video investigators began screening footage from the district cameras one by one. They identified a tall, slender man riding an electric bicycle in the neighborhood at 16:03, who was wearing Nike AJ flat sneakers. This individual was determined to be a key suspect. The investigation continued by tracking this man's movements using footage from both the neighborhood's entrance and exit cameras, as well as cameras positioned outside nearby stores, quickly gathering additional information regarding his appearance.
Figure 6. Video surveillancefootage inside the community
Figure 7. Videosurveillance footage outside the neighborhood
Upon investigation, the suspect named Xiao, was identified as the ex-husband of the caller, who previously possessed a key to the owner's residence. Given that the couple had been divorced for over a year, Xiao became a prime suspect in the case. Led by the home owner, Mrs. Wang, police arrested Xiao at his residence. Upon extracting fingerprint information from Xiao, it was found that his fingerprints matched perfectly with those collected from the crime scene. Additionally, shoeprints matching Nike shoes were discovered in Xiao's home. After analyzing and confirming these characteristics as a perfect match, Xiao confessed to committing the crime when confronted with the evidence.
Xiao had recently accumulated significant gambling debts and was aware that his ex-wife owned valuable jewelry. Understanding herdaily routine, he planned the theft for the afternoon of January 2. To create the appearance of a random burglary, he rummaged through multiple cabinets and drawers in the house, attempting to give the impression that he was searching for various items.
Figure 8.Apprehension of the suspect and recovery of Nike shoes
4. Case Summary
This case exemplifies how on-site shoeprint analysis and video investigation can work in perfect coordination. For effective burglary detection within urban environments, it is essential to utilize avariety of high-tech investigative methods. By combining fingerprints, DNA evidence, shoeprints, and video surveillance, investigators can achieve significant results in solving such crimes.
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