Praise for egg-cellent work
Graaff-Reinet cop first in SA to lift prints off eggshell
AGRAAFF-REINET police fingerprint expert who became the first officer in the country to lift fingerprints from an eggshell leading to the positive identification of a suspect, received a standing ovation from national and provincial police top brass this week.
The work of Constable Johan Theron from the Graaff-Reinet police cluster was commended by the national head of criminal record and crime scene management Major General Lesetja Mangale at the division’s awards ceremony at Mpekweni Resort yesterday.
Theron won second prize in the Crime Scene Expert (LCRC) of The Year category.
“This province continues to break new ground and officers continue to go the extra mile in their work. We salute you for that,” said Mangele.
Another first for the country, according to Mangele, was the work done by an East London detective who lifted fingerprints from remains of a skinned cow.
Commenting on the sidelines of the event, Eastern Cape provincial police spokeswoman Colonel Sibongile Soci said if it were not for Theron’s work, the suspect would not have been found and arrested.
The suspect left his fingerprints on the eggshell after breaking into a Murraysburg house in Graaff-Reinet where he prepared himself breakfast before fleeing with his loot. the
Theron said he processed the eggshell on the scene and took photos before sending them to the lab.
Warrant Officer JJ Schoeman from the Middleburg crime scene investigation unit then ran the fingerprints in the database and linked the suspect to the scene.
Schoeman walked away with the Automated Fingerprint Identification System Expert of the Year award. — malibongwed@dispatch.