NCJ Number
79485
Journal
Police Review Volume: 89 Issue: 4623 Dated: (September 11, 1981) Pages: 1762-1765
Date Published
1981
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses how the police traced an obscene telephone caller in Cornwall County, England, by using the Oracle, a small computer.
Abstract
The caller only used pay telephones and usually contacted the switchboard operators of hospitals and service stations at nights. The article explains how the origin of the calls was pinpointed to a general area and what technical equipment was used to help locate the caller. The Oracle, a small computer with television-style display screen, has a small button which, when depressed, causes a barely audible signal of a specific frequency to be transmitted down the incoming line. If that line was in the targeted area, then a note-generator on the line would respond. The response would in turn be interpreted within the computer and details of the actual kiosk in use would flash up on the screen. This occurred and the police telephoned a waiting response car and arrested the caller. Tables are included.