WAR ON CRIME

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 August 1933, Page 5

WAR ON CRIME

SYDNEY POLICE SCHEME. SYDNEY. July 27. Detectives have decided to have every revolver, and pistol in the State examined. The markings of bullets fired from these firearms will be recorded at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Branch so that whenever a shooting occurs the firearm responsible can be traced within a few hours of the recovery of the bullet. This will be one of the moves in an elaborate scheme which high police officials have evolved to prevent the. indiscriminate use of firearms. They have decided to take action because of the increasing tendency for criminals to carry firearms and to use them. Every effort will be made to prevent, revolvers and pistols falling into the hands of criminals, and existing holders of licenses will have to prove their need of weapons. The aid of scientists has been enlisted, and delicate apparatus will be used to photograph bullets and record every scratch or small marking on their surfaces.

Experts in ballistics have established that bullets tired from one weapon can be distinguished' with certainty from those fired by any other firearm by microscopic marks on the surface of the bullet. The surface of even polished metals, under a powerful microscope becomes a. mass of small pits and elevations. A remarkable instrument has been added to the apparatus at Inspector Chaseling’s branch at detective headquarters. It is an arrangement of two microscopes, which enables the examination of two bullets simultaneously on the mae microscopic field. Small chucks allow the operator to turn the bullets to any angle. When Hie bullets have been arranged and brought into focus, a camera fitted above the microscopes allows a permanent. record of them Io he made. As means permit, all firearms will bo called in by the police. Before they are re-issued to their owners several shots will be fired from them into a trough of water. The bullet will not be damaged, and photographs of the markings on it. will be taken. It is hoped that, eventually there will },e j record of every firearm for which a permit has been issued in the State. I he marks on the photographs will enable the bullets io lie indexed under types. When a. bullet tired by a criminal is recovered, the police will be able to ascertain the owner of the firearm Detectives will thus be saved weeks ol useless work.

1 he problem of (racing thieves who ha.v 0 stolen firearms will not be overcome, but the speedy discovery of where the firearms wer 0 taken from amt Hie circumstances in which they were stolen will immediately aid the police in their investigations.