Video

KVUE's Noelle Newton reports

>More KVUE News Video

• View larger
• E-mail clip
• More video

Search Video:

> > >

It's a crime without a face and now police are increasing their chances of solving it. APD is now collecting DNA at property crime scenes.

As you approach Peg Box's doorstep, a yellow sticky note catches your eye. It reads "thieves will be shot and or eaten." Four months ago, a burglar kicked in her door and stole a TV.

"I was incredibly mad,” she said.

Box wanted him caught, but police told her that may never happen. "They said the chances aren't good to keep up on it," she adds.

Just recently, police say they connected fingerprints left at the scene to 18-year-old Alejo Sanchez. He was arrested and charged for the crime.

"I was stunned. I really thought no chance. It's not gonna happen,” Box said.

Police say Box was very lucky. APD crime stats show from October 2007 through 2008 there were 5,830 home burglaries and 443 arrests. For the same time period this year, burglaries have gone up to 6,245 and arrests are down to 326. To change those numbers for the better the department applied for and received a $262,000 DNA grant. Since a single DNA test costs $450, department funds are typically reserved for crimes against persons such as murders and sex assaults. Now burglary detectives can also collect samples.

"I've actually solved a case from not knowing anything about who did it to having the person in jail based off of DNA alone,” APD Burglary Detective Adam Masters said.

Crime scene technicians say burglars often leave something behind such as blood on broken glass, saliva or sweat.

“It's just a matter of getting in there and finding out what they left behind because they always leave something behind on each and every scene,” APD Crime Scene Supervisor William Welch said.

The backlog is three to six months because evidence for crimes against persons is processed first. Still detectives have high hopes for the future.

"Once it's perfected and the database is as long-reaching as the fingerprint database, then I think it will be far and above better,” Masters said.

To help expand the database, officers are being asked to get DNA on repeat offenders at the time of arrest through consent or through a search warrant. To get it they swab the inside of a person's mouth.