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<\/p>\nNike Air Max trainers are some of the most popular for criminals, according to the footprints found by real-life Sherlock Holmes sleuths.<\/p>\n
Crime scene investigators can tell exactly what trainers a criminal was wearing just by a partial print left behind. With a bulking database big enough to make the most ardent of sneaker collectors green with envy, there\u2019s no shoe print beyond identification for forensics boffins.<\/p>\n
When asked what prints often show up on investigations, Thames Valley Police CSI expert Doran told the Daily Star: \u201cIt used to be the Reebok classics, a lot of the Nike Air Max brands as well, were really, really common, we used to see those on offenders all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Blood-splattered house without a corpse baffles CSI crew until mad explanation<\/b><\/p>\n
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Doran explained how collecting evidence in the shape of footprints, comes into its own when suspects have their footwear confiscated in custody. He said: \u201cEven if the print is partial they can search it on the database and say right that\u2019s a Nike Air Force One. \u201cWe can match up the prints, that\u2019s part of the intelligence so just like taking dna we\u2019re allowed to take and seize their shoes when arrested.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not only the exact model investigators are interested in, but how they\u2019re worn too, with everyone\u2019s walking pattern pretty much unique to them and subsequently some parts of the shoe more worn than others. And that\u2019s before tracing soil from swiped footwear is taken into equation.<\/p>\n
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For all the popularity among criminals for pricey sportswear brands, Doran couldn\u2019t help but smirk recounting one particular shoe print he and his team have recognised. He said: \u201cWe\u2019ve had crocs at crime scenes before.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople we arrest we have to take their shoes so we give them school plimsolls, elasticated ones and we\u2019ve seen those turn up at crime scenes as well. You know can be almost anything. I would say Crocs take a mark on the sole as much as any shoe, they are quite distinctive.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd regards to this database the a lot of the common shoes, they\u2019ll just look even at a partial sole mark and go \u2018oh yes that\u2019s an Adidas 524', they just recognise it because they\u2019re dealing with them all the time.<\/p>\n
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In recent years Doran has swapped going out on the frontline of Thames Valley Police investigations for training new recruits. He added: \u201cI wouldn't like to put my finger on now what would be the most common shoe is anymore that we see.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still see a lot of Nike trainers. I hope I\u2019m not libelling Nike or anything by saying that but yeah it\u2019s the popular trainers that people like to wear, criminals like to wear them too. They seem to go for a lot of expensive brands but we do see all sorts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even Sherlock Holmes was at it, albeit before knowing the ins and outs of every sole sold at the likes of JD Sports and Sports Direct.<\/p>\n
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Doran said: "He actually says in one of his books, or Arthur Conan Doyle does, the tracing of footprints being the most underrated scientific technique for detecting crime. And in some respects that\u2019s true today because people focus on DNA and finger prints but actually there\u2019s a vast range of fibres, glass, paint, hair, all sorts of things we can utilise.<\/p>\n
DNA and fingerprints are extremely useful but there\u2019s lots of other evidence types as well. And Sherlock Holmes did in terms of trace evidence, I don\u2019t know about 101 different types of cigarette ash but a lot of the tracing of evidence he talks about are still relevant today."<\/p>\n
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