Interesting methods detectives used in history

I was reading about the early days of private investigation, and I came across how some detectives would use decoys and even stage scenarios to catch criminals. It got me thinking — who else has seen examples of unconventional techniques in historical cases; it adds such a fascinating layer to the stories.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‌‍​‌‌‌‌​⁠‌​‌‍‍⁠‌⁠​‌‌​⁠⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠‌​‌​​‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌​​‌​‌⁠‌⁠‍‍‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

It’s interesting how detectives would sometimes utilize social dynamics to create false narratives; I’ve seen cases where simply changing the environment made suspects reveal more than they intended. Have you read about how the Chicago police used this approach back in the 1920s? It certainly shows how psychology can play a big role in investigations.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌​​⁠‌‍​⁠‌​​⁠‌​​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍‌‌‍⁠‌‌‍‍​‌​‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌⁠‍‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠​‌⁠‍​‌‍​‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​