Do police EVER match fingerprints left in cars with the actual car thief?

Question

Is there any hope? Because if nobody has EVER matched and it has been done everywhere, then I wish the police officer would have just told me that and then there would have been no need to have them dust my brother's when they found it.

I'm kinda wishing I would have hung around someplace hidden with a camera so I'd be there when the thief came back for it. Oh well. At least it's been recovered.

Also, if there is no match to the prints, would they be entered into the database as being potentially involved in a vehicle theft in case the person is fingerprinted at a later date. Then they can go back and question or polygraph them about the stolen car, especially if they were printed due to some other theft.

I also think there should be a public tv channel dedicated to showing pictures and descriptions of stolen vehicles in the area. Many times I've heard they don't get far.

Answer 1

Yes. However, it is rare. We recently had a case where the prints were matched about a year after the actual theft. One of our Evidence Techs lifted the prints.

I am not sure about re-submission. But from what our techs do, I think they must.

Answer 2

I agree, with the other answers. Even if police do get a match, its still "circumstantial" evidence. The police can use that information, to "pressure" a suspect, into confessing (and I use the word pressure, carefully), or to support eyewitness testimony, but they won't get a conviction, and they know it.
As far as your "list". True story: My car was stolen from my driveway, in St. Paul MN. It was a cute little car, dear to my family (yellow geo convertable, we called "Gizmo"). I went looking . . stopped a couple of police, gave them a mimeographed copy with my phone number. The St. Paul police, desk sargent, calls me next day. He says to quit botherin his patrols . . . the car is on every "hotlist", in Minnesota, and nieghbhoring states. The police will do their job, just stay out of their way. 3 days later, my wife spots the car, . . . parked in nieghboring "Minneapolis". The car has 5, thats FIVE! parking tickets, on it. Wait! it gets better . . . The Minneapolis traffic court judge, accused us of LYING, about the car being stolen . . . we had to go to ST. Paul police, to get the theft report, personally. Minneapolis (literally next door), did'nt have access, to St. Paul's computer records!!!!! Metal flashlight, and interior of car, were never dusted for prints . . police just weren't interested. I could'nt think this stuff up, if I tried. . . I don't think the police have an ez job, But they seem to give much more attention, to crimes that are "exciting", where they get to chase somebody . . . , Good Luck. . .

Answer 3

Your first statement is correct, but what you may not know is that the crooks are usally smart enough to wipe a car down when they leave it. Yes there is a data base to enter fingerprints however the money to pay the people to enter the prints is not there in some states therefore most of the prints are not getting entered

Answer 4

It is extremely rare and never happens with individual car thefts. Departments usually have CSO's (glorified meter maids) to take car theft reports. Nothing is usually done unless they just happen to come across the car. Of course if it was the Chief's car that was stolen, you know there would be an all out effort to retrieve the vehicle

Answer 5

oh yeah, the theives are usually that smart? they literally left a used condom in my car after stealing, and i had been told of an identical situation prior ot retrieving minea nd knowing of this. the cops were aware and just left it there... they supposedly could not find prints and didnts ee fit to dna test (i mean, they didnt even tell me they had found my car, and i got to pay every cent i had to retrieve it from the tow yard, so why should they?) . like i said, someone told me of an identical situation that had occured years ago, and in conjunction with other experiences im quickly realizing thatt most thieves just realize the police dont care enoguh to pursue people that aren't actually in front of them

Answer 6

you certainly could desire to. no rely if or not something became taken from you automobile, they broke into it in an attempt to discover some thing they did prefer to take, and had it been there, they could have taken it. they must be stumbled on and punished. you may in basic terms assume that they are doing this to people, and must be definitely taking issues from their autos. What once you are the only one with clean fingerprints on your automobile? you ought to shop people a great sort of rigidity. call the police!

Answer 7

There is a little hope. But, auto theft may not be the biggest issue on the police blotter.

Answer 8

Unless the car was used for a big crime after it was stolen, the police won't waste their time.