Service is set to aid officers in achieving successful convictions on specialist fraud and deception cases, and provides a report of all results in a format suitable for presentation in court
LGC Forensics, the recently branded forensic division of LGC, has developed a new LGC Forensics Gemmology service, specialising in material identification, authentication and valuation of gemstones, precious metals and counterfeit currency.
Aimed at both commercial and criminal casework, the new service is set to aid officers in achieving successful convictions on specialist fraud and deception cases, and provides a report of all results in a format suitable for presentation in court.
Matthew Higginson, forensic scientist at LGC Forensics and developer of the new service said: "Criminal cases such as fraud and deception involving gemstones are becoming increasingly common, especially in metropolitan areas.
"In the past, such cases may not have been investigated fully because appropriate expertise is hard to identify.
"LGC Forensics is continually looking for ways to expand the service it offers and feedback from our customers has shown that this is one service they seem to be requiring more frequently.
"We are therefore delighted to now be able to offer this new service to our customers in our commitment to be the provider of choice for police forces in the UK".
Higginson qualified with the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A), an international leading provider of gemstone and diamond education worldwide.
Higginson said: "The expertise of the gemmologist involves not only the correct use of examination instruments, but also the correct recognition of characteristics essential for identification of gemstones such as their diagnostic inclusions and absorption spectra.
"Both practical skills and in-depth theoretical knowledge are required".
In addition to gem materials, which include diamond, ruby, jade, amber and pearl, LGC Forensics can also examine precious metals and counterfeit currency.
Applications of the new service range from fraud cases, in which imitation gems are sold to unsuspecting victims, through to the importation of illegal materials such as ivory, and the sale of low grades of precious metals such as gold and platinum.
