RESIDENTS are being urged to be wary of posting crime-related matters on social media, before police have had a chance to investigate. Kyle van Reenen of Marshall Security, said that with so many people using social media, residents are able to post photographs from crime scenes on Facebook and WhatsApp groups which can sometimes lead to a compromise in the investigation.
“People’s eagerness to spread police successes on social media can have adverse effects on both the crime scene and the investigation itself,” he said
Van Reenen warned that when a suspect is arrested, it is vital to note that an identity parade will form part of the investigation and the sharing of suspects’ faces via social media.
“Furthermore, by preserving a crime scene, the evidence collected will be of a better quality and will ensure a higher conviction rate. A crime scene not only includes the place where the crime was perpetrated but also the surrounding area. In the investigation of a crime, police will need to gather information and physical evidence. The more the crime scene is ‘damaged’ the less evidence can be gathered and used,” he added.
How to preserve a crime scene:
· Limit your movement on the crime scene
· Avoid contact with visible evidence
· Leave the scene undisturbed
· Don’t move around the scene to establish what damage or losses were incurred
· Don’t touch or move any items at the scene
· Leave the crime scene, but be available for questioning by police
· If possible, lock the premises but be on hand to unlock for police
· Do not distribute facial images of the suspects
- Every person at, or in the vicinity of a crime scene, is a potential witness
- Tell police everything you know, no matter how small or insignificant you think your input will be
