Coral Harbour (Mar 10/04) - Try getting away from the scene of a crime in Coral Harbour these days and you may get stopped in your tracks.

The RCMP detachment in that community has been so busy with break and enters since December, they got creative and implemented a footprint database to track culprits.

"A shoe print can almost be like a fingerprint," said Cpl. Dan Laurence.

"If you look underneath at the sole, you see a certain pattern, yes, but within that pattern you'll have a cut, or a thread will be missing.

"If that person comes in we can easily match it up with the anomalies in the shoe."

The RCMP have already solved one break and enter using the system.

By saving photographic records of shoe prints in the community, they can more easily match up what shoe was where.

"It's original. It's an idea we came up with," said Laurence. "We're trying to figure out new ideas on how to be more efficient, streamlined," said Laurence.

"Not a lot of detachments do it," Laurence said.

"I've used it down south."

The two-person Coral Harbour RCMP detachment has been busy, with 16 break and enters in January alone.

Busy with break and enters

"It's a lot. We have been running off our feet non-stop," said Laurence.

The break and enters were mostly to businesses. Culprits pried doors open, going mostly for cash.

In one case, a safe containing just $45 was completely demolished in the Housing Authority office.

The cost of replacing the safe, say police, will be about $6,000.

The recreation centre has been hit five times since January.

January was a record breaking month, with the detachment receiving the highest number of calls since it opened.

They had a total of 41 criminal code related investigations for their two members to handle in January, including two assaults, two sexual assaults, 16 break and enters, one theft, four drug-related arrests and two motor vehicle accidents.

"We are looking at laying 40 to 50 charges under the criminal code, and looking at having five youth diverted to justice committees," said Laurence.

Something had to be done to solve crimes, and the footprint system is just one more tool the detachment now has.

"We're trying to be proactive," said Laurence.