Another area that is so deeply embedded within investigative teams that you think you have seen everything but the nominees this year showed us, yet again, how they can exploit tiny pieces of information and make major investigative break throughs! Here’s the shortlist!

Suffolk and Norfolk Constables (Communications Data Investigation SPoC Unit)

After receiving a 999 call from a woman saying she was taken hostage by 4 men with no additional information but the name of the town, they set to work trying to locate her starting with the BT Zone Code. Using Google android data, the zone code and eventually moving to Google and IP data, they identified a person of interest and resolved the call to an address which was attended by officers and found to be a hoax call. The corroboration between the companies involved and the teams skills around communications data means the work would have saved a hostage before harm came to them had it been a real situation.

West Yorkshire Police Telecoms / Communications Data Unit

An unknown offender was talking about the abuse of a minor online and posting explicit images. A yahoo email was identified which led to IP logon history and a mobile number. Using cell masts in the area, the investigator identified the device was open to all networks and where it was purchased. Initial top up details came back negative, but after querying this, the network reran the request and provided the data that resolved back to the location. This enabled the identification of an additional number in use by the suspect. He was identified and arrested and it was later established that another force had been trying to identify him for 18 months without success.

HM Revenue and Customs

A Digital Investigator took part in an investigation into an Organised Crime Group who were evading excise duty in the region of £37m annually. The Group was known to use ‘burner’ phones that were periodically replaced. Using DI and Comms Data Techniques, he breached the OCG’s burner phone network and obtained crucial text messages covering a 4 week period which the group were still under surveillance. The investigation resulted in the arrest 7 of the members arrested and £60k in cash being recovered.

Contact Awards@bluelightsdigital.com to see if you are eligible to join us on the 10th March to find out who wins!