Crime Scene Investigation: Offense Investigations

Introduction to Property Damage Investigations

• Property damage, also known as destruction of property or vandalism, is a crime against property.
• It is a violation of federal law, state statute, county, and municipal ordinance.

Objectives of Investigation

• Identify why the prosecuting victim is essential to the successful prosecution of property damage cases.
• Identify the proper procedure for conducting the on-scene investigation.
• Identify common problems encountered when investigating property damage offenses.
• Identify other agencies that may need to be notified regarding specific types of property damage offenses.

Federal, State, and Local Jurisdiction

• Federal Law violations are prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office before a United States Magistrate.
• State Statute violations are prosecuted by the county prosecuting attorney's office in the County Associate Circuit Court.
• County Ordinance violations are prosecuted by the county counselor’s office in the proper associate circuit court.
• Municipal ordinance violations are prosecuted by that municipality's attorney in municipal court.

Crime Scene Investigation

• A crime scene is the physical location where a suspect either commits an illegal act or leaves physical evidence of such an act.
• Important questions to ask the victim:
  • Date and time of the crime
  • Identification of damaged property and estimated value
  • Suspicious people or activity in the area prior to the crime
• Officer's responsibilities at the crime scene:
  • Look for and seize any evidence located at the scene
  • Conduct an area canvass to find possible witnesses
  • Check with neighbors and identify them by name, address, and phone number

Prosecuting Victim

• The prosecuting victim may be:
  • Family member
  • Person with care and custody of the property
  • Owner
  • Manager
  • Caretaker
• In cases involving municipal property, the victim is the municipality.
• In cases involving state property, the victim is the State of Missouri.
• In cases involving federal property, the victim is the United States Government.

Special Cases

• Mailbox damage: notify postal inspector and send a copy of the report.
• Theft of mail: notify postal inspector who will do follow-up.
• Ethnic intimidation: use federal laws if county or municipalities do not have similar laws or ordinances.

Officer's Investigation

• Keep in mind the following when investigating property damage cases:
  • Cold crime scene
  • Few witnesses
  • Low clearance rate
  • Low priority for police officers
  • High priority for citizens