Police use social media to stop crime

Although criminals are becoming adjusted to stealing and committing other crimes on the internet, police are beginning to use these methods to their advantage. Loudoun County sheriff Mike Chapman as well as the rest of his department have begun to collaborate with Connected to the Case, a social media website that allows officials to scan Facebook and Twitter for criminals.

The criminal information provided for Facebook and Twitter is available to police without a search warrant. Police are also starting to sift through social media to locate everyday crimes, whereas in years past, high-profile cases only prompted a social media search.

Connected to the Case can also be used to locate missing children and sex offenders.