Police struggling to clear evidence backlog of 12,000 devices - but what does this mean for corporate investigations?
Phil Beckett
European and Middle East Practice Leader, Disputes & Investigations at Alvarez & Marsal
Covid-19 is impacting us all in so many ways, from our healthcare provisions to our economic output and, of course, our overall productivity outputs. A recent headline in The Times also revealed that the police are struggling to clear an evidence backlog of 12k devices too as a result of a lack of resources, made worse because of the coronavirus crisis. Whilst this is a concern, we have to be realistic here; if the police continue to be overwhelmed due to lack of resources, and of course given they are now having to deal with the impact of Coronavirus too, then corruption, IP theft and corporate fraud will likely fall down the priority list. In reality, this means that organisations will need to undertake their own investigations when it comes to corporate fraud and related issues for some time to come. But what are the steps that organisations will need to take in order to conduct their own thorough investigation?
Certainly, if an origination suspects fraud or any other economic crime, then it is prudent for them to carry out their own investigation to determine the facts behind their suspicions and then consider what subsequent action that may need to be taken.
In respect of digital devices and online accounts, it is important to initially ensure that the evidence is captured in a forensically sound manner.
This can be done by following our simple checklist below:
An investigation will then typically generate two phases of work:
- Analysis of documentary and email evidence using keywords, filters and other analytical tools.
- Analysis of available forensic artefacts that can allow for deleted files to be recovered, internet access will need to be reviewed, application installations will have to be inspected and identification of external devices should be connected.
It is critical that this element of the investigation is embedded with the overall investigation team and is perceived as a central workstream. This is because it typically feeds into and links in with all other aspects of an investigation. It should not be seen as a standalone support service, otherwise the full benefits of the analysis can be lost.
These sources of evidence are often key to a successful investigation, and therefore it is imperative that organisations deal with them appropriately at the start of and, of course, throughout the whole investigation.
If you’re interested in hearing more about how to conduct a thorough investigation or just want some advice, then DM me.
Director of Sales
4 年I couldnt agree more. Fraud is too difficult for the police to undertake investigations of, (too much time and effort for little police ROI). They rely on companies like Alvarez and Marshal and ours to do the work and present them a finished case, enabling them to make their prosecutions. If anyone is interested in an investigation into fraud, this is definitely the route to take for any form of satisfaction at all.
Managing Director, Investigations at Quantuma Advisory Limited
4 年Agreed Phil. The backlog will only increase so private investigations and prosecutions with civil actions also will be needed. Can be faster and deliver better outcomes. Esp with data loss and theft and cyber related attacks.