A Comparative Analysis of Reconstructive Crime Scene

Authors

  • Muhamad Fuad Emri School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Lau Chong Luh School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Mohamad Hezri Razali School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Ahmad Norhisyam Idris School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Saiful Aman Sulaiman School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Khairulnizam M. Idris Geospatial Imaging and Information Research Group, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
  • Muhammad Nasri Abdul Ghani Bandwork GPS Solution Sdn. Bhd., Old Klang Road, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24191/bej.v22iSI.6478

Keywords:

Crime scene, Three-dimensional, LiDAR, iPhone, Laser Scanning

Abstract

In this new technology era, crime scene reconstruction should be enhanced with the latest technology instead of using conventional two-dimensional (2D) approach. This study expands our knowledge of how to employ iPhone LiDAR to speed up the process of gathering crime scene data. With the aim of revolutionising forensic efficiency, this study investigates the potential of iPhone LiDAR in crime scene reconstruction with conventional techniques. In this study, distometer, measuring tape, iPhone 14 Pro Max and Total Station were used for data collection. The objectives include creating a crime scene sketch by hand, converting point clouds data into a 2D drawing, and analysing measurements obtained from various techniques. In this study, Total Station was used to conduct the detail survey of the crime scene. In this study, the distometer was used for baseline measurements while the measuring tape was utilised for short distances measurements. IPhone LiDAR 14 Pro Max, which is equipped with a 3D Scanner App, was used as the proposed approach for data collection. The findings demonstrate that the manual measurements using a distometer and measuring tape are less accurate than LiDAR readings when compared with the readings acquired from the Total Station.

Author Biographies

  • Muhamad Fuad Emri, School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    Muhamad Fuad Emri is an undergraduate student in School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. His interest of research is in the area of crime scene investigation. His can be reached through his email at fuademri@gmail.com.

  • Lau Chong Luh, School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    Lau Chong Luh, PhD is a Senior Lecturer in School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. His main research activity is in the area of 3D LiDAR. He has published widely on the subjects related to the 3D laser scanning. His can be reached through his email at lauchongluh@uitm.edu.my.

  • Mohamad Hezri Razali, School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mohamad Hezri Razali, is a Lecturer in School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. His main research activity is in the area of cadastral survey and 3D LiDAR. He has published widely on the subjects related to the cadastral survey, underground utility survey and 3D laser scanning. His can be reached through his email at hezrirazali@uitm.edu.my.

  • Ahmad Norhisyam Idris, School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    Ahmad Norhisyam Idris, is a Lecturer in School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. His main research activity is in the area of photogrammetry and 3D LiDAR. He has published widely on the subjects related to the photogrammetry and 3D laser scanning. His can be reached through his email at ahmad_norhisyam@uitm.edu.my.

  • Saiful Aman Sulaiman, School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    Saiful Aman Sulaiman, PhD is an Associate Professor in School of Geomatics Science and Natural Resources, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. His main research activity is in the area of geodetic survey and 3D LiDAR. He has published widely on the subjects related to the geodesy, geomatic, geospatial and geodetic control and 3D laser scanning. His can be reached through his email at saifulaman@uitm.edu.my.

  • Khairulnizam M. Idris, Geospatial Imaging and Information Research Group, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

    Khairulnizam M.Idris, PhD is a Senior Lecturer in Geospatial Imaging & Information Research Group, Faculty of Built Environment & Surveying, College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. His main research activity is in the area of industrial survey and 3D LiDAR. He has published widely on the subjects related to the industrial survey, deformation survey, geospatial science and 3D laser scanning. His can be reached through his email at khairulnizami@utm.my.

  • Muhammad Nasri Abdul Ghani, Bandwork GPS Solution Sdn. Bhd., Old Klang Road, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Muhammad Nasri Abdul Ghani, is a Technical Sales Engineer in Bandwork GPS Solutions Sdn Bhd, Unit 9-11, Menara K1, Lorong 3/137C , Old Klang Road, 58200, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His main research activity is in the area of Geomatic and 3D LiDAR. He has published few publications on the subjects related to the 3D laser scanning. His can be reached through his email at nasri@bandwork.com.my.

References

Burney, I., & Pemberton, N. (2013). Making Space for Criminalistics: Hans Gross and Fin-de-siècle CSI. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, 44(1), 16-25. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369848612000969

Gehl, R., & Plecas, D. (2016). Introduction to Criminal Investigation: Processes, Practices and Thinking. New Westminster, BC: Justice Institute of British Columbia. https://pressbooks.com

John, S., Philip, S., Singh, N., Hari, P. B., & Khokhar, G. S. (2023). Economic Solution for Spatial Reconstruction Using LiDAR Technology in Forensic Sciences. In 2023 International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Knowledge Economy (ICCIKE) (pp. 252-256). IEEE. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10131861

Kottner, S., Thali, M. J., & Gascho, D. (2023). Using the iPhone's LiDAR Technology to Capture 3D Forensic Data at Crime and Crash Scenes. Forensic Imaging, 32, 200535. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666225623000040

Maneli, M. A., & Isafiade, O. E. (2022). 3D Forensic Crime Scene Reconstruction Involving Immersive Technology: A Systematic Literature Review. IEEE Access, 10, 88821-88857. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=9858116

Nelis, J., Desmet, S., Wauters, J., Haelterman, R., Borgers, E., & Kun, D. (2018). Virtual Crime Scene. In 2018 IEEE International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality (AIVR) (pp. 165-168). IEEE. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8613654/

Shorey, J. (2022). Crime Scene Definition, Investigation & Examples. Study.com. https://study.com/learn/lesson/crime-scene-overview-components.html

Whetstone, T., Brodeur, J. P., Walsh, W. F., Kelling, G. L., & Banton, M. P. (2023). Crime-scene Investigation and Forensic Sciences. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/police/Crime-scene-investigation-and-forensic-sciences

Miller, M. T. (2014). Crime Scene Investigation Laboratory Manual. ELSEVIER. https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/cabinet/file/2d807c40-f41d-45ae-ae61-c44d85f01daa/Crime-Scene-Documentation-Sketching.pdf

Downloads

Published

22-06-2025

How to Cite

A Comparative Analysis of Reconstructive Crime Scene. (2025). Built Environment Journal, 22(SI). https://doi.org/10.24191/bej.v22iSI.6478

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.