Some DNA left on a pop can helped the Sarnia Police solve a break-in case from October.
Police officials say on October 22, a family who resided in the 1400 block of Lakeshore Road in Sarnia, was returning home from a walk shortly after 10 p.m.
As they approached the residence a male approached one of the family members asking for a cigarette, police allege.
The family had no idea who the male was and they thought it was unusual to see the man, as the residence was isolated from the general public to access.
The unknown male left the area.
Police allege the family immediately attended the residence and checked the surveillance video to find that the suspect had entered the garage.
When they checked the garage they also found a hammer and a can of soda which had been open and left behind.
These items were later determined to have been taken from a neighbour’s garage which was also broken into, police say.
The pop can was seized as evidence and processed by the Sarnia Police Service Forensic Identification Branch.
The sample was then sent to the Centre of Forensic Science for DNA analysis.
The analysis was able to determine that the DNA was already in the known offender DNA data bank, and thus, they were able to determine who the person was who had taken a drink from the pop that was left behind.
A 25-year-old Sarnia man was arrested on December 16, 2017 for break and enter and for breach of probation.
He has since been released from custody awaiting a future court date.
