Forensic Investigation with GPR

Since ground penetrating radar is non-destructive, it has the potential to assist law enforcement in time-sensitive crime scene investigations. Using GPR eliminates the need for digging or hauling multiple pieces of equipment. Most of our systems, for example, can fit inside a small SUV with ease. They are easy-to-use as long as the battery is charged and the wires are connected properly.

Ground penetrating radar can be used in locating clandestine graves, human remains and skeletal remains. One notable case includes the 2010 discovery of a missing Delaware man who was buried six feet underground. Here, GPR detected a patch of disturbed soil in a wooded area, and police later confirmed it as the body’s location.

Buried Caches

Ground penetrating radar can also help law enforcement with finding buried caches, such as weapons or other evidence. In many cases, criminals quickly bury this type of evidence to hide proof of their activities. Unlike metal detectors, GPR can detect non-metallic structures and items, such as drugs and money as well as soil disturbances caused at burial sites.

Buried Structures and Voids

Locating buried structures, like a criminal hideout or underground tunnel, has never been easier. Using a GPR system, law enforcement investigators can scan a soil surface to detect the void in the soil created by these structures without ever having to break ground. This cuts down the time needed to detect these targets drastically; as no excavation is required to get results with GPR.

Objects Hidden in Walls

Walls are seemingly an ideal space for hiding criminal evidence. They offer long-term storage for both large and small objects; and it is difficult for law enforcement officials to access those items once the wall is resealed.

Since ground penetrating radar can see through a variety of materials including the structural components of buildings, it can aid in detecting foreign objects in hidden compartments. This is especially significant in criminal investigations where there is the possibility of damaging these hidden items while trying to access them.