It seems there are no limits to Google’s powers that now the search engine giant has even turned its hand to crime fighting, though without the red cape and blue tights. Two thieves have been arrested in Holland after their victim, who was mugged in the street, spotted his assailants on Google Street View as they were following him.
A teenager contacted the police last year, in September, to report how he had been mugged by two twins, who pulled him from his bike and stole his money and mobile phone. The incident happened just northeast of the capital Amsterdam.
Then in March this year the teenager called the police again after he had spotted himself and his attackers on Google Street View, a system that allows you to look at streets in Google Maps. The photos were taken by a series of Google cars that have been travelling around the world photographing streets.
The police then contacted Google for the photos, as people have their faces blurred on the website, so they could identify the attackers.
Policeman Paul Eidanus stated:
You must tell Google clearly why you want them. The photo could provide an important contribution to solving a crime.
After Google gave the Dutch police the photo, the assailants were identified.
