Will Technology Help Track Killer At CTA Station?
CHICAGO (CBS) – Several days after an iPhone thief caused the death of a 68-year-old woman at the Fullerton Avenue L stop, the killer of is still on the run.
But technology may aid Chicago police in their manhunt, one expert says.
Police have released a sketch of the suspect they're seeking, but detectives are not talking about exactly what steps they're taking to find him. The suspect stole an iPhone at the Fullerton station March 28, then pushed Sally Katona-King down a flight of stairs as he fled the scene.
King, an advocate for the homeless, was buried last week.
A private eye at MSI Detective Services believes police must be making a serious effort to track the stolen iPhone. The devices are not just phones, they're also mini-computers with individual identities and tracking systems.
"There's something called the IMEI number that's sort of like the serial number of the phone, so even if the SIM card or something like that has been changed, it's still trackable," private investigator Theresa Cheriachangel told CBS 2's Mike Parker.
Andrew Holmes, a community activist who's helped put together $1,000 reward for the arrest of the killer, was passing out flyers at the L station this week. He was telling cta riders who may have been victims of theft on the trains in the past to tell police about it.
"They may be able to back track and look at some of the surveillance at whatever station he was at, and this person may be in this video," Holmes said."Think about it, you may be the key. If there's a date and time you can come up with and there's some video surveillance, we may have a match."
The reward may soon be increased. Holmes is trying to find other businesses and community groups who want to get involved.
Police are urging people with information to do the right thing.
