How Police Have Used Facebook
In February, police in the US solved a vandalism case just three weeks after settling up a Facebook page showing pictures captured from surveillance cameras.
Vandals caught
In February, police in the US solved a vandalism case just three weeks after settling up a Facebook page showing pictures captured from surveillance cameras.
The police received information from netizens who had viewed the pictures on Facebook. This led them to three culprits, who were charged with burglary and criminal mischief.
Burglar caught
In January, police in southern New Zealand made their first Facebook arrest, by nabbing a would-be burglar after they posted security camera images of the man on Facebook.
The man pictured was trying to break into a safe, but had been unsuccessful in his attempt to open it.
Netizens, who had viewed the pictures on Facebook, gave the police information which led to the mans arrest, just two months after the Queenstown police department created its online presence on Facebook.
Tips from Facebook
Last year, the Manchester police department created a Facebook application to collect leads for its investigations, marking the first time UK law enforcers have used the site to fight crime.
The application sends users a real-time feed of police news and appeals for information.
One update, for example, was an appeal for information about four men who were allegedly involved in an armed robbery.
By clicking on a Submit Intelligence link on the Facebook application, users are directed to the website of the Manchester police where they can submit information anonymously.
Charged for assault
In October last year, with the help of Facebook and YouTube, a Canadian undergraduate was charged with aggravated assault, after Kingston police posted video clips and an online appeal for information about the case on the networking site.
Netizens who had viewed the information on the Facebook page tipped the police off, which led to the arrest.
The New Paper - Wednesday 28 October 2009
