Andrew Jensen thought that he was a free man for certain. Almost a year had passed since he broke into a California house in October 2016 and the police were no closer to suspecting him. The 42 year old seemed to have gotten off scot-free. That is until the police realized something interesting about the case. They decided to inspect a sample that they had taken from an unflushed toilet in the house. And as it turned out, the DNA in the toilet was a perfect match for Jensen's.
The burglary
According to News of the World, Jensen broke into a house in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks.
The suspect sauntered through the house before deciding to use the bathroom facilities. According to Ventura County Sheriff's Office Detective Tim Lohman, Jensen then proceeded to do his "business". Only one problem-the criminal forgot to flush the toilet when he was done.
The DNA
The investigating parties take possible DNA samples from all over crime scenes. Many people don't realize that hair and blood are not the only sources of DNA. Things such as cigarettes and even cans can be used as sources of DNA. And so yes, the authorities even took a sample from an unflushed toilet in the house. Talk about dirty work! They later used this sample to put together a DNA profile. They then compared this to the national FBI database and later found a match, a man by the name of Andrew Jensen.
Lohman later told press that this is the first case that he has heard of that has used DNA obtained from fecal matter.
Jensen, the 42 year old suspect, was found at his home in the nearby city of Ventura. He was arrested on Friday the 28th of July 2017. According to the Toronto Sun, it is unclear whether or not Jensen has a lawyer to represent him.
The media has not been able to talk to Jensen, as of yet. He is currently being held with his bail set at $70 000, according to BBC News. He is currently being detained in the city of Ventura. Jensen is scheduled to make his first appearance in court on Wednesday the 9th of August 2017, nearly a year after he committed his crime and did his deed.
Andrew Jensen's court appearance on Wednesday is certain to be an interesting one. It must certainly be humiliating for him to have been convicted simply because he forgot to flush the toilet. Hopefully the court case will bring some clarity and will allow the media to find out a bit more about the matter and to find out some of Jensen's thoughts. This matter is a clear testament to the skill of the American legal authorities.
