GB2402790A

GB2402790A - Method of marking

Info

Publication number: GB2402790A
Application number: GB0404484A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cher Martine Holden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-06-03
Filing date: 2004-03-01
Publication date: 2004-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 2024-03-01
Also published as: GB0404484D0; GB2402790B; GB0312683D0

Abstract

A method of marking an individual (the attacker) who approaches another person (the victim) to threaten or attack or abduct the latter comprising the step of locating a phial of unique identification material about the victim such that if broken by crushing or pressure the material will be dispersed over at least the victim, whereby some of the material will be transferred to the skin or clothing of the attacker either directly or indirectly through contact with the victim. The identification material can be selected so as to react to at least one specific wavelength, or relatively narrow band of wavelengths of a particular radiation, so as either to emit light of a particular wavelength or to phosphoresce or fluoresce at a specific wavelength when irradiated or stimulated by the said particular radiation either during or after exposure thereto. The identification material is a powder or liquid, typically a water-based solution which will impart a forensic fingerprint to any surface with which it comes into contact.

Description

J

1 2402790 C901/H Title: Identification method and device

Field of the invention

This invention concerns a method of identifying a person, or object such as clothing carried or worn by a person. The invention is of particular application in the field of protecting children and women from attack or abduction.

Background to the invention

Attacks on individuals especially women and children has become a serious problem, and convincing evidence which identifies an attacker or abductor is often difficult to obtain, particularly where the person attacked or abducted is unavailable to identify their attacker or abductor, having been murdered, or where the attack or abduction has occurred in the dark and the attacked or abducted person has been unable to see the attacker or abductor.

Proving that an individual has been in the immediate vicinity of an abducted or attacked person, after the event, (or eliminating them from the enquiry) would be a very significant advantage to the Police when investigating a crime.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for marking and thereby linking an individual (or group of individuals where more than one is involved) with a person who has been attacked or abducted, or the remains of a person who has been attacked and murdered.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide such a method and apparatus which is simple and almost automatic in use, so as to be capable of being used by a child (even a toddler) in a crisis, so as to mark an individual who is interfering with the child. t

Summary of the invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of marking an individual (the attacker) who approaches another person (the victim) to threaten or attack or abduct the latter comprising the step of locating a phial of unique identification material ran, , Air about the victim such that if broken by crushing or pressure the material will be dispersed / over at least the victim, whereby some of the material will be transferred to the skin or clothing of the attacker either directly or indirectly through contact with the victim.

The phial may be located in a position on the victim's body which is most likely to be grabbed or compressed in an attack or abduction so that the phial is broken and its contents are dispersed as soon as the attack actually occurs.

Alternatively the phial may be located in such a position that the victim can crush the phial so as to disperse the material as the attacker closes on the victim either before actual contact is made, or after initial contact and during an attack.

Two or more phials may be located about a victim so that if an attack is sensed, the victim can personally initiate the crushing of a phial, whose position has been selected to be convenient for such action by the victim, and if an attack occurs without warning or foresight, another phial is crushed whose position on the victim has been selected to correspond with a part of the victim's body which will be impacted in any such attack, so as to crush the phial located thereon In a preferred method the identification material reacts to at least one specific wavelength, or relatively narrow band of wavelengths of a particular radiation, so as either to emit light of a particular wavelength or to phosphoresce or fluoresce at a specific wavelength when irradiated or stimulated by the said particular radiation either during or after exposure thereto.

The said particular radiation may be ultra violet light.

The material may be mono-reactive and emit light around a single wavelength when irradiated or stimulated by the particular radiation.

Alternatively the material may be a plural reactive material formed by mixing two or more substances so that light around two, three or more different wavelengths will emanate from the mixture when irradiated by the particular radiation.

The identification material may be a powder, and in that event the size of the powder particles may be selected so that they are small enough to impregnate the pores of skin, or hair follicles or clothing.

The powder may react with any trace of moisture present to dye the substance with which it has come into contact, albeit invisibly, which coloration will only appear when irradiated by the particular radiation.

Typically the powder is a light sensitive phosphorous powder or mixture of different such powders.

Alternatively the identification material may be a liquid which is either a mono reactive material or a mixture of liquids to form a plural reactive material.

The liquid may be selected as being capable of being absorbed into skin, hair or clothing, and typically is a water-based solution which will impart a forensic fingerprint to any surface with which it comes into contact.

The liquid may be selected from a range of liquids which have been developed to track stolen goods and link a person to handling the marked goods. l

The marking substance is preferably odourless and tasteless and clear (in the case of liquid) or grey or white in the case of powder so that it will appear as a damp patch (in the case of liquid) or be mistaken for dust or talcum powder or dandruff (in the case of a powder).

According to another aspect of the invention an attacker or clothing worn by them which has become marked by a liquid or powder in accordance with a method as aforesaid so that the powder or liquid is left adhering to or impregnating the attacker's skin or hair or clothing which will glow when subject to UV light, can be identified by locating UV light ".- sources in public places so as to invisibly irradiate an area which is also scanned by ad. security guards and/or CCTV cameras, whereby any marked person can be passively i, identified and monitored, and tracked to a car or house or both if appropriate, where they can be apprehended.

A CCTV system monitoring an area in a public place preferably includes a wavelength or spectrum sensitive sensor which responds to the appearance of the particular wavelength or group of wavelengths if present in the field of view, and generates a warning signal (audible or visible or both).

A person monitoring the CCTV system will be alerted by the warning signal to determine where the detected spectrum appears in a picture on a TV screen and determine if this is coincidental and unrelated to a person, or otherwise.

Where the CCTV signals are stored on magnetic media for subsequent inspection by replaying the information stored on the magnetic media via a TV monitor, the replay means may include circuit means which generates a warning signal if the particular wavelength or group of wavelengths is detected in the recorded signals.

Where the marker material produces two or more distinctive wavelengths simultaneously, the wavelength or spectrum sensitive sensing device is preferably adapted to generate a warning signal only if both (or all) of the distinctive wavelengths are sensed by the device.

Preferably the identification material dyes any surface with which it makes contact in a semi-permanent manner so that it cannot subsequently be removed by washing or cleaning using conventional solvents, so that an indelible marking will remain available to be detected by Police forensic investigating officers for a period of time after contamination.

The invention also lies in a method of making a plural reactive powder for use in the aforesaid method wherein composite particles of two or three or more differently emitting substances are formed by binding molecules of each of one or more different substances to molecules of a primary substance, so that in general every particle making up the powder has both or all the required constituents to emit both or all of the different wavelengths when excited or stimulated by appropriate radiation.

The invention also lies in a method of making a range of powders for use in a method as aforesaid in which the powder particles are selected to form mono or plural reactive powder(s), each having a different reaction to the particular radiation so that if a phial is Or,'.'' broken during an attack, the specific formula powder will be spread over skin, hair and clothing of both victim and attacker, and in view of the large number of different powders which can be produced there is little likelihood of an attacker becoming covered by any such substance other than by contact with the person carrying the phial of that substance.

An identification material container device for use in the method as aforesaid adapted to disperse a powder or liquid contained therein preferably compriseds a container at least a part of which will burst open under pressure.

Such a container may include at least one opening which is normally closed by a closure which when the container is pressurised as by squeezing, breaks away to allow the powder or liquid to be emitted through the opening.

Such a container may have a plurality of holes are which uncovered or opened by pressurization of the container so that the powder or liquid is dispersed in a plurality of different directions. l

The or each closure device may comprise a patch of sheet material which is normally adhesively secured to the container to cover the or each opening, but which is adapted to peel away from the container wall under internal pressure in the sachet.

Alternatively the or each closure device may comprise a plug or bung which self seals into the opening but can be distorted under pressure so as to pass out through the opening, followed by the powder or liquid.

Alternatively the container may be formed at least in part from fracturable sheet material which will fracture and open the container under pressure.

A container as aforesaid may be located in a bracelet or watch or necklace or pendant, or a brooch adapted to be clipped or pinned to clothing. Alternatively it may be located in part of a button which can be squeezed so as to be moved relative to another part of the button such as a central region which is movable relative to an outer rim of the button, to effect the discharge.

Alternatively the container may be incorporated into a zip fastener and the combination of container and zip fastener is such that if the latter is vigorously undone, the container will be ruptured.

Alternatively the container of marker powder or liquid comprises a compartment in a rigid member, which may comprise a button, brooch, watch casing, bracelet, or pendant. A closure device covering an opening in such a container may be adapted to be pressed in or pulled off, to release the contents of the container.

In an alternative arrangement the container may comprise a sachet which is normally closed to retain the powder or liquid therein.

In a preferred method the marker materials are coded, according to the wavelength or wavelengths of light they emit when irradiated by a given radiation, and a database is maintained which contains the identity of each person who has been supplied with one or more devices containing a marker material together with the code of the material in the device(s) concerned, so that evidence of such material on a third party can be used to identify the person or persons with whom the suspect could have been in contact in order for that substance to be on their skin, hair or clothing.

A preferred powder is a light sensitive phosphorous powder, such as can be obtained from Pete's Luminous Creations of Golden Landmark Shopping Complex, 390 Victoria Street, 02-15, Singapore 188061. Details of the material can be obtained from the firm's website www. glo-net.com.

A preferred liquid is one of the Smart Water products supplied by Knighthood Security Systems of Northolt or Kingston upon Thames, and also having offices in the West end of London.

Either of the "Index Solution" or "Tracer" products, as supplied by Knighthood, may be used. Each is a liquid marking agent which is designed to mark/impregnate goods with a liquid having a unique footprint or socalled DNA code.

These liquids are water-based solutions which will impart a forensic fingerprint to any surface with which they come into contact, and have been developed to track stolen goods and link a burglar to handling the marked goods.

Hitherto these liquids have been applied by means of a small sprinklerlike device controlled by an alarm system to spray the liquid over the articles and the burglar. Such spraying devices are supplied by Index Solutions under licence from Probe FX (UK) Ltd., whereas the present invention proposes they be stored about the person and squirted over at least the victim during an attack, so as to mark the attacker when contact is made.

It is not necessary for the contents of the sachet to directly make contact with the attacker or his/her clothing or anything they are carrying. Thus in the case of a powder or liquid as aforesaid, it is merely necessary for it to be squirted onto the skin and/or clothing of the victim, which the attacker subsequently touches, grabs, or merely brushes against, so that some of the powder or liquid clinging to the victim is transferred to the attacker, for the latter subsequently to be labelled, and by association to have been in contact with the victim.

One liquid proposed for use as a marking agent glows bright yellow when irradiated by UV light, and any person so identified could be apprehended by the Police and questioned, if not immediately arrested on suspicion of attacking or abducting a victim.

Where a phial or sachet as aforesaid containing a marking agent (powder or liquid) is fitted to a bracelet or watch or necklace or pendant, a wire may be run around the interior of a multiple segment metal, or a plastics or leather strap by which the bracelet or watch is secured around a victim's wrist, or along a chain in the case of a necklace or pendant on a chain hung around the neck, which is adapted to open the phial or sachet if the wire is tensioned as will happen if the watch or necklace or bracelet or pendant is pulled violently.

The marker materials referred to can be stored in containers made of plastics, ceramic, glass or silicon, although depending on the marker material chosen, any suitable container material can be used.

Whilst a unique DNA footprint for each person carrying a marker material containing phial or sachet would be desirable, it is not essential since if a number of different people/children up and down the country carry the same material and are linked to it via the database, those not affected can all very quickly be checked, and eliminated, as not being the victim, thereby identifying by elimination the one person/child who has been attacked by the individual carrying the tell-tale marker.

The invention may incorporate or be incorporated into a time-piece such as a stop-watch which is adapted to record the time and date of an attack.

A device according to the invention may include a battery powered lamp or chemically luminescent device to help visibility at night. Where battery powered the device may include a solar panel charging unit which charges the battery when exposed to daylight.

In the case of wrist-bands to be fitted to children or the elderly, the identity of the marker material is preferably such as to possess socalled DNA identity which can be revealed using UV light.

The invention is not limited to the examples given, but can be incorporated into any garment or ornament or article which can be worn or clipped or otherwise secured to clothing or the body, and it is merely necessary for the size and shape of the container for the marker material to match the size and shape of the device to which or into which it is to be fitted.

In the case of a wrist band, the marker material may be housed in the band in such a manner that if the band is cut or torn the material will be dispersed.

Where the material is in liquid form, it is preferably stored under pressure so that when the container (whether for example, a phial, sachet or pouch or hollow interior of a wrist band) is cut or torn or otherwise opened, the liquid will squirt out thereby increasing the chances of some of it landing on skin or clothing of the attacker.

Where the fracturable container (phial or sachet etc.) of marker material is visible as in the centre of a brooch or in a pendant or bracelet, and especially where the marker material is a liquid, the container may be formed from transparent material such as glass or clear plastics material and in order to disguise the container the marker material may be mixed with a large number of tiny pieces of light reflective material such as tiny pieces of polished aluminium foil which may be self-coloured (i.e. silvery in appearance) or coloured on one or both faces with a range of colours. Such material is commonly referred to as "glitter" and is often found in children's fashion jewellery items.

Examples of devices or articles in which marker material phials or sachets (or the material itself in a closed cavity in the article or device) are as follows: For young women: Bracelet or watch strap (with wire for added strength) Mobile phone Key ring Badge Cigarette lighter Earring Pendant Brooch Spray can Bra strap Belt Clothing Necklace Ring Shoes, such as trainers Boots Bags Glasses (including sun glasses) For elderly women: Bracelet or watch strap (with wire for added strength) Mobile phone Key ring Badge Cigarette lighter Pendant Brooch Belt Clothing Walking stick Spray can Ring Shoes Wallet Bags Glasses (including sun glasses For young men: Bracelet or watch strap (with wire for added strength) Mobile phone Key ring Badge Cigarette lighter Spray can Tie pin Belt Clothing Pen Ring Shoes such as trainers Wallet Glasses (including sun glasses) For elderly men: Bracelet or watch strap (with wire for added strength) Mobile phone Key ring Badge Belt Clothing Cigarette lighter Walking stick Spray can Rings Shoes Wallet Glasses (including sun glasses) For children - girls: Bracelet or watch strap with a security lock which can only be opened by parent or guardian (with wire for added strength) Mobile phone Key ring Badge Swimwear Belt Clothing Necklace Rings Shoes Trainers Clothes (especially school uniform) Hair bands School bag Dolls Skates Bicycle bell Glasses (including sun glasses) For children - boys: Bracelet or watch strap with a security lock which can only be opened by parent or guardian (with wire for added strength) Mobile phone Key ring Badge Swimming trunks Belt Clothing Rings Shoes Trainers Clothes (especially school uniform) Bicycle bell School bag Roller blades Skates Glasses (including sun glasses) For use by young people and adults (as appropriate) in particular environments: Cycle and motorcycle helmets Torches Fashion accessories Pens, pencils Pull necklace Car accessories (such as a fake air freshener) Glasses (including sun glasses)

Claims

C901 /H Claims 1. A method of marking an individual (the attacker) who

approaches another person (the victim) to threaten or attack or abduct the latter comprising the step of locating a phial of unique identification material about the victim such that if broken by crushing or pressure the material will be dispersed over at least the victim, whereby some of the material will be transferred to the skin or clothing of the attacker either directly or indirectly through contact with the victim.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the phial is located in a position on the victim's body which is most likely to be grabbed or compressed in an attack or abduction so that the phial is broken and its contents are dispersed as soon as the attack actually occurs.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the phial is located in such a position that the victim can crush the phial so as to disperse the material as the attacker closes on the victim either before actual contact is made, or after initial contact and during an attack.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein two or more phials are located about a victim so that if an attack is sensed, the victim can personally initiate the crushing of a phial, whose position has been selected to be convenient for such action by the victim, and if an attack occurs without warning or foresight, another phial is crushed whose position on the victim has been selected to correspond with a part of the victim's body which will be impacted in any such attack, so as to crush the phial located thereon
5. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the identification material reacts to at least one specific wavelength, or relatively narrow band of wavelengths of a particular radiation, so as either to emit light of a particular wavelength or to phosphoresce or fluoresce at a specific wavelength when irradiated or stimulated by the said particular radiation either during or after exposure thereto.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the said particular radiation is ultra violet light.
7. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the material is mono-reactive and emits light around a single wavelength when irradiated or stimulated by the particular radiation.
8. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the material is a plural reactive material formed by mixing two or more substances so that light around two, three or more different wavelengths will emanate from the mixture when irradiated by the particular radiation.
9. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 wherein the identification material is a powder.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the size of the powder particles is selected so that they are small enough to impregnate the pores of skin, or hair follicles or clothing.
11. A method as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein the powder reacts with any trace of moisture present to dye the substance with which it has come into contact, albeit invisibly, which coloration will only appear when irradiated by the particular radiation.
12. A method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11 wherein the powder is a light sensitive phosphorous powder or mixture of different such powders.
13. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 wherein the identification material is a liquid which is either a mono reactive material or a mixture of liquids to form a plural reactive material.
14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the liquid is selected as being capable of being absorbed into skin, hair or clothing.
15. A method as claimed in claim 13 or 14 wherein the liquid is a waterbased solution which will impart a forensic fingerprint to any surface with which it comes into contact.
16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the liquid is selected from a range of liquids which have been developed to track stolen goods and link a person to handling the marked goods.
17. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16 wherein the marking substance is odourless and tasteless and clear (in the case of liquid) or grey or white in the case of powder so that it will appear as a damp patch (in the case of liquid) or be mistake for dust or talcum powder or dandruff (in the case of a powder).
18.A method of identifying an attacker or clothing worn by them which has become marked by a liquid or powder in accordance with a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17 so that the powder or liquid is left adhering to or impregnating the attacker's skin or hair or clothing which will glow when subject to UV light by locating UV light sources in public places so as to invisibly irradiate an area which is also scanned by security guards and/or CCTV cameras, whereby any marked person can be passively identified and monitored, and tracked to a car or house or both if appropriate, where they can be apprehended.
19. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein a CCTV system monitoring an area in a public place includes a wavelength or spectrum sensitive sensor which responds to the appearance of the particular wavelength or group of wavelengths if present in the field of view, and generates a warning signal (audible or visible or both).
20. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein a person monitoring the CCTV system will be alerted by the warning signal to determine where the detected spectrum appears in a picture on a TV screen and determine if this is coincidental and unrelated to a person, or otherwise.
21. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the CCTV signals are stored on magnetic media for subsequent inspection by replaying the information stored on the magnetic media via a TV monitor, and the replay means includes circuit means which generates a warning signal if the particular wavelength or group of wavelengths is detected in the recorded signals. 9
22. A method as claimed in claim 20 or 21 wherein the marker material produces two or - more distinctive wavelengths simultaneously and the wavelength or spectrum sensitive sensing device is adapted to generate a warning signal only if both (or all) of the distinctive wavelengths are sensed by the device.
23. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 22 wherein the identification material dyes any surface with which it makes contact in a semi-permanent manner so that it cannot subsequently be removed by washing or cleaning using conventional solvents, so that an indelible marking will remain available to be detected by Police forensic investigating officers for a period of time after contamination.
24. A method of making a plural reactive powder for use in a method as claimed claim 9 wherein composite particles of two or three or more differently emitting substances are formed by binding molecules of each of one or more different substances to molecules of a primary substance, so that in general every particle making up the powder has both or all the required constituents to emit both or all of the different wavelengths when excited or stimulated by appropriate radiation.
25. A method of making a range of powders for use in a method as claimed in claim 9 in which the powder particles are selected to form mono or plural reactive powder(s), each having a different reaction to the particular radiation so that if a phial is broken during an attack, the specific formula powder will be spread over skin, hair and clothing of both victim and attacker, and in view of the large number of different powders which can be produced there is little likelihood of an attacker becoming covered by any such substance other than by contact with the person carrying the phial of that substance.
26.An identification material container device for use in a method as claimed in any of I'', claims 1 to 26 and adapted to disperse a powder or liquid contained therein comprising a container at least a part of which will burst open under pressure. ;
27.A device as claimed in claim 26 wherein the container includes at least one opening which is normally closed by a closure which when the container is pressurised as by squeezing, breaks away to allow the powder or liquid to be emitted through the opening.
28.A device as claimed in claim 26 or 27 wherein a plurality of holes are uncovered or opened by pressurization of the container so that the powder or liquid is dispersed in a plurality of different directions.
29.A device as claimed in claim 27 or 28 wherein the or each closure device is a patch of sheet material which is normally adhesively secured to the container to cover the or each opening, but which is adapted to peel away from the container wall under internal pressure in the sachet.
30. A device as claimed in claim 27 wherein the or each closure device is a plug or bung which self seals into the opening but can be distorted under pressure so as to pass out through the opening, followed by the powder or liquid.
31. A device as claimed in claim 26 wherein the container is formed at least in part from fracturable sheet material which will fracture and open the container under pressure.
32.A device as claimed in any of claims 26 to 31 wherein the container is located in a bracelet or watch or necklace or pendant, or a brooch adapted to be clipped or pinned to clothing.
33. A device as claimed in any of claims 26 to 31 wherein the container is located in part of a button which can be squeezed so as to move relative to another part of the button, such as a central region which is movable relative to an outer rim of the button, to effect the discharge.
34. A device as claimed in any of claims 26 to 31 wherein the container is incorporated into a zip fastener and the combination of container and zip fastener is such that if the latter is vigorously undone, the container will be ruptured.
35. A device as claimed in any of claims 26 to 31 wherein the container of marker powder or liquid comprises a compartment in a rigid member.
36. A device as claimed in claim 35 wherein the rigid member is a button, brooch, watch casing, bracelet, or pendant and a closure device covering an opening therein is provided, which can be pressed in or pulled off, to release the contents.
37. A device as claimed in any of claims 26 to 31 wherein the container is a sachet which is normally closed to retain the powder or liquid therein.
38. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 22 wherein the marker materials are coded, according to the wavelength or wavelengths of light they emit when irradiated by a given radiation, and a database is maintained which contains the identity of each person who has been supplied with one or more devices containing a marker material together with the code of the material in the device(s) concerned, so that evidence of such material on a third party can be used to identify the person or persons with whom the suspect could have been in contact in order for that substance to be on their skin, hair or clothing.