Forensic discrimination of plastic cable ties

Abstract

Cable tie is one type of evidence submitted to forensic science laboratories, due to its potential as a tool used in crime. In this report, ten commercially available cable tie samples were analyzed and compared to study their potential for forensic discrimination. Samples were ˆrst evaluated through examination of their physical properties, shape, size, and traces from the mold. As a result of these examinations, 9 groups of the possible comparison pairs were discriminated. The chemical compo-sitions of the samples were subsequently characterized through the use of infrared spectroscopy and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. With this result, it was possible to discriminate the pair that could not originally be discriminated.