Dear doc77469-ga;
Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting
question.
I searched and didn’t find such a “ready made” decoy wallet as you
described. If there were one, it would likely cost much more than a
very inexpensive method I have used many times over the years – and it
almost always works!
As a member of law enforcement for more than 20 years, I have probably
seen, heard or tried just about every method in the book to “catch a
thief”. My city has a thoroughbred racetrack and during the racing
season opportunists such a pickpockets come from far and wide to
practice their trade. I would take an old wallet (usually a wide
leather one with a deep pocket where the bills are stored). I would
then take a couple of one dollar bills and lay them out on some craft
paper and carefully “paint” the bottom edges (front and back) of both
bills with black fingerprint ink. I used this ink not only because it
is readily available to me but also because it is very difficult to
remove from the skin unless you have a solvent specifically designed
to remove it. After smearing the ink on the bottom edge of both bills
I would carefully insert them (inked edge first) into the folder of
the wallet so that the contaminated edge was at the bottom. When you
fold the wallet, the ink will tend to migrate about half way up the
bills but it will not come out the top or spread over the whole bill
(unfortunately, I had to learn this using the trial and error
method).I slipped the wallet into my intentionally loose pants pocket,
and I was, as they say, off to the races.
Using a partner to visually monitor my movements (because if the
pickpocket is good, you’ll never know when its gone) we’ve caught
several people over the years. They tend to walk a few feet and
inconspicuously sweep out the bills. The money almost always goes
directly into their pocket and the thief quickly drops the wallet in a
nearby trash receptacle. By then they’ve not only gotten a hand full
of the bills and the ink, but the messy stuff is on clothes as well.
In a few instances the thief actually escaped, leaving the dirty money
– and his fingerprints – behind. The old wallet was free, bills cost
me $2, the ink about $5, and the look on the bad guys face when he was
nabbed was, well, to borrow a phrase from television …”priceless”.
There is no denying guilt when you are caught “black handed” this way.
I’ve yet to have a case go to trial either. In every instance the
thief opted to plead guilty because he simply had no defense.
I hope you find that that my research exceeds your expectations. If
you have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for using Google Answers.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga
INFORMATION SOURCES
“Faurot Forensic Products”
http://www.faurotinc.com/content/section1/f2000.asp
“Evidence Collection and Protection, Inc.”
http://www.crime-scene.com/ecpi/250X.shtml
“Leeco Station Supplies”
(Links to both ink and remover – because you “will” get some ink on
yoursel too)
http://www.leeco.com/station.htm
Sirche Fingerprint Laboratories, Inc.”
http://www.sirchie.com/section1/fingerink.asp
SEARCH STRATEGY
SEARCH ENGINE USED:
Google ://www.google.com
SEARCH TERMS USED:
Fingerprint ink
Fingerprint ink remover |
