Soil bulb mites as trace evidence for the location of buried money
In: Forensic Science International, Jg. 292 (2018-11-01), S. E25
academicJournal
Zugriff:
Byline: Medjedline Hani [m.hani@pgr.reading.ac.uk] (a), Ursula Thieven [ursula.thieven@polizei.niedersachsen.de] (b), M. Alejandra Perotti [m.a.perotti@reading.ac.uk] (a,*) Keywords Forensic; Illegal; Money; Bill; Contraband; Concealment; Acaridae; Astigmata; Rhizoglyphus Highlights * Rhizoglyphus howensis Manson mites recovered from buried money. * Rhizoglyphus mites are soil dwellers, root/tubercle associated mites. * R. howensis are unique to Australasia, directing the money search to this region. * This is the first record of R. howensis Manson in Europe and from banknotes. * Immediate collection and preservation of invertebrate traces is essential. Abstract This study reports for the first time the use of soil micro-invertebrates, mites, as trace evidence to localise buried objects such as money. The case relates to a crime in Germany, where a large sum of banknotes had been hidden in an unknown location, likely abroad. In 2016, part of the money (approx. [euro]500,000 in [euro]500 value notes) was confiscated by the police. After analysis in the forensic lab, it was discovered that the notes were covered with small particles of a sort of debris, later identified as specimens of Rhizoglyphus howensis Manson, a non-European, nor Mediterranean species of root or bulb mites (Acaridae: Rhizoglyphinae). The restricted biogeographic distribution of R. howensis, originated in unspoiled forest soil in the Australasian region, limited the search for the money to the areas visited by the perpetrators during their trips to the region. Rhizoglyphus howensis biology provided further clues on the whereabouts of the banknotes, as they are specialist plant feeders, exclusively feeding on seeds of palm trees and on roots of Quercus patula in the Australasian region. This report aims to highlight the importance of the correct identification of the microscopic organisms associated with a crime scene and the immediate retrieval of micro-invertebrate trace evidence. This is the first record of R. howensis from Europe, and from banknotes. Author Affiliation: (a) Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Section, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights Campus, Reading RG6 6AS, United Kingdom (b) FG 51.2, LKA Niedersachsen, Kriminaltechnisches Institut, Schutzenstr. 25, D-30161 Hannover, Germany * Corresponding author. Article History: Received 12 July 2018; Revised 7 September 2018; Accepted 17 September 2018
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Soil bulb mites as trace evidence for the location of buried money
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Autor/in / Beteiligte Person: | Hani, Medjedline ; Thieven, Ursula ; Perotti, M. Alejandra |
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Zeitschrift: | Forensic Science International, Jg. 292 (2018-11-01), S. E25 |
Veröffentlichung: | 2018 |
Medientyp: | academicJournal |
ISSN: | 0379-0738 (print) |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.09.016 |
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