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posted by Fnord666 on Thursday February 27 2020, @06:28AM   Printer-friendly
from the put-an-arrow-in-the-map dept.

A recent murder trial involving the most medieval of weapons has recently concluded with a guilty verdict, thanks to some high-tech sleuthing.

From the BBC's report:

Some modern, expensive cars are installed with electronic systems which can track and store information about its movements. This so-called telematics system can be used as a tracking device if the car is stolen. It can also tell when a car's engine is started or stopped and even when a window, door or boot is opened and closed. When combined with evidence of owning a crossbow and bolts of the type used in the murder, it was enough to secure a conviction.

Like a mobile phone on wheels, the system uses a SIM card. Nick Harvey, risk data manager for Plant-I telematics company, said data is live constantly and GPS tracking could be accurate within 5m.

He said over the past 10 years, such tracking had become more commonplace in car technology and security systems and could now help with investigations. "Wherever a vehicle is going, it is sending into a cloud - no matter what happens to that vehicle there is always data behind," he said.

A car belonging to the defendant was found burned several miles away two weeks after the murder, but the incriminating data had long since been sent to the cloud. It placed the owner outside the victim's house at the time of the murder, with timestamps indicating details like the engine being turned off, and when the doors and boot (trunk) were opened and closed.

The complexity of the case saw it generate 5,500 documents and involve a team of 50 police officers before going to a trial lasting five weeks.

"If it wasn't for the electronics, the black box in the Land Rover - which didn't just record information but sent it to Jaguar Land Rover, [the defendant] Whall would have got away with his lies," the jury was told.


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  • (Score: 2) by SomeGuy on Thursday February 27 2020, @09:07AM (4 children)

    by SomeGuy (5632) on Thursday February 27 2020, @09:07AM (#963379)

    Crossbow Murder Solved Using Car Tracking Telemetry

    Oh my, tracking did something good! We must all be tracked! We love tracking! We love big brother! More tracking please! Tracking will catch all murderers. You can't be too safe, think of the children, pollywannacracker!

    Please kill me.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2  
  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by stretch611 on Thursday February 27 2020, @09:33AM

    by stretch611 (6199) on Thursday February 27 2020, @09:33AM (#963385)

    Just add another quote about the need for giving all encryption keys to the FBI/CIA/NSA and Bill Barr will immediately hire you on as a consultant.

    --
    Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P
  • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday February 27 2020, @01:34PM (2 children)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 27 2020, @01:34PM (#963461) Journal

    Please kill me.

    With a crossbow, amirite?

    • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday February 27 2020, @05:08PM (1 child)

      by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 27 2020, @05:08PM (#963607) Journal

      Crossbow not the best way to go, I think.

      I would prefer to be decaffeinated by guillotine.

      --
      To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
      • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Friday February 28 2020, @06:40AM

        by Phoenix666 (552) on Friday February 28 2020, @06:40AM (#964002) Journal

        It doesn't work in quite the same way as Taster's Choice, but it must be conceded that the guillotine will also decaffeinate you.

        --
        Washington DC delenda est.