World's first 'space detectives' inundated with cases

The world's first space detective agency, founded in London by a British law academic and a geography professor, has received a mass of enquiries since its establishment two weeks ago.

Satellite imaging specialist Professor Raymond Harris and lawyer Raymond Purdy formed Air & Space Evidence Ltd of London to help solve crime with the use of satellite and aerial images.

The founders say the company is already struggling to keep up with demand on its new services. "We've been besieged," Purdy told The Independent. "We've had inquiries about quite tragic things. A woman whose son was killed in a hit and run wanted us to investigate the car involved."

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The University of London academics said that they were unable to help the woman, and emphasised that not all cases could be solved through satellite data, but said that the range of evidence available was increasing in quantity and sophistication.

"We don't have data for every minute yet, so solving a murder case or a hit and run is difficult," Mr Purdy said. "But if you're looking at something that took place over a certain day or week, we might be able to play a key role."

Most of the agency's work will involve images taken by orbiting satellites, but for cases where photography with greater resolution is required, Purdy and Harris plan to use aerial imagery from drones.

According to New Scientist, such cases might include "a suspicious spouse checking registration plates to see if a car belongs to their partner, or an insurer checking a car is parked off-road as claimed".

The academics said that they had studied some historical crime scenes to prove that their work could help. In one case, satellite imagery was shown to a judge to prove that illegal waste incineration had ruined a large area of pristine land.

"We also tried to see the night Madeleine McCann disappeared," Purdy said. "We found imagery from two days to one side, but not for the day itself. But that technology has improved, even over the past six months, recording clues now that police can use in the future."

Paul Champion, a governor of the Association of British Investigators, described the new agency as an "innovative idea".

Champion told New Scientist: "Investigators will really welcome the ability to identify when an incident occurred using before and after satellite or aerial images."