Tattoos as evidence: How the ink on their skin got people arrested for murder, rape, burglary

Tampa Bay Times ^ | September 3, 2012 | Curtis Krueger

[EveningStar]

ST. PETERSBURG — As the man rushed past the Mariner Car Wash, an employee couldn't help but notice his distinctive forearm tattoo: "Most Wanted."

When police investigating a bank robbery came around a few days later, the worker mentioned the man, confirming DNA evidence police had that tied a man with just such a tattoo to the crime.

[EveningStar]

ping

[lightman]

Police have been collecting data on arrestees tattoos for decades.

Now they have the computers and communications to crunch the data and share the information quickly.

[wjcsux]

The upside to tattoos is that perps are more easily identified in a police line-up.

[dfwgator]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

[doc1019]

One of the reasons I have never had a Tattoo, if I had ever decided to do something nefarious, a tattoo would be a dead giveaway. Just like I would never own a vanity license plate. Just the paranoia in me.

[Melas]

Ah, if you’re average in other ways, it might work out. Me, myself, I’m so physically distinctive, that I could never get away with anything.

[greene66]

I’ve always been astonished at the sheer stupidity of the criminal element, so keen on distinctively ‘branding’ themselves to make identification so laughably easy.

But I hardly understand the appeal of tattoos to begin with. Just yesterday saw some rather raggedy middle-aged gal at a check-out counter with tattoos all up and down her arms. I guess they were tattoos, but they looked more like some child with color magic-markers scribbled all over her arms. It was ghastly-looking.

[null and void]

How distinctive?

[Melas]

5’2”, built like tank, dark olive skin, bald, five o’clock shadow from coal black beard at noon, even if I shaved....I’m hard to miss. They could find me without looking at my ink.

[TexasFreeper2009]

I LOVE tattoos !

It makes it easy for me to spot the sleazy people to avoid.

[samtheman]

When bystanders saw a man shoot 30-year-old Marquell Burge last year behind the Ninth Street Pool Hall in St. Petersburg, one of them had an easy way to identify the killer. He said "the suspect has a 727 tattoo on the back of his neck, and just shot pool the other day," according to a police report.

Hey. Lots of guys of "727" tattoo'd on the backs of their necks.

[null and void]

5’2”? You’re easy to overlook...

[eartrumpet]

When police investigating a bank robbery came around a few days later, the worker mentioned the man, confirming DNA evidence police had that tied a man with just such a tattoo to the crime.

Doesn't this mean they had already tied the DNA evidence to a suspect, without the tattoo witness speaking up?

[OrangeHoof]

I’ve said this ever since tattoos became a fad. If you commit crimes, you better not wear tattoos, particularly if you are a rapist. The woman is going to see them, she’s going to remember them and then you’re doing 30 in the can.

[TXnMA]

“Dunce Decorations” (male) and “Tramp Stamps” (female) have to rate right up there with the most stupid ideas ever conceived by humans — right below body piercings...

[green pastures]

[Revolting cat!]

The secret, which has served me well (Har! Har! You'll never catch me, coppers!) is to have a standard run of the mill tatt!

[fireman15]

My 29 year old daughter who is very responsible in most ways has a lot of tattoos all over her body. It was the influence of one of her boyfriends. As you say they look just plain stupid looking. She has a good job and is finishing her bachelor’s degree in accounting. The tattoos almost kept her from getting her most recent job.

[Melas]

Das me!!!