As both fingermarks and DNA can be used as evidence for identification
purposes, relevant to this subject is also the ability to obtain a useful
DNA profile after reagents to enhance fingermarks have been applied. In
general, there are three major steps in dealing with fingermarks/DNA
evidence analysis. First, there is a practical need for localisation/enhancement
of the fingermark/DNA followed by recovery via a suitable
technique, and finally analysis of the fingermark/DNA. The surfaces
commonly encountered in cable theft are made of black plastic polymers.
Latent fingermarks on this type ofmaterial are visualised through
cyanoacrylate fuming (CNA fuming) orwet powder suspensions (WPS)
as it has been shown that both techniques perform equally well [11].
Studies have been reported on the recovery of DNA from fingermarks
deposited on different surfaces. The results often showed that the possibility
to obtain genetic profiles from touched items strictly depends on
the surface type [12] in addition to the enhancement technique
employed [13]. Plastic materials have often been employed in such
studies with donor profiling information being successfully recovered
[12,14–15]. However, no studies have been conducted to investigate
the deposition, recovery and profiling of touch DNA from cable sheaths
after treatment with CNA andWPS. As cyanoacrylate and wet powders
are not chemically destructive to the DNA [16–17],