Police in China arrest burglar using DNA from mosquito that bit him

In a case that has generated headlines for its unusual nature, police in China managed to nab a burglar by analysing blood from a dead mosquito found at the scene of the crime. Blood samples from the mosquito, which was found squashed against a wall, were sent for DNA testing which subsequently helped solve the case.

According to the South China Morning Post, the burglar broke into a house in China’s Fuzhou while the owner was away. The Fuzhou Public Security department released a report of the case on its WeChat account, stating that the thief spent the night in the house, cooking himself a meal and using the owner’s bed before absconding with several valuables.

When police arrived at the house, they found the door was closed from the inside, which meant the thief had entered though the balcony.

After entering the house, the burglar cooked a meal of noodles and egg, helped himself to a blanket from the owner’s closet and lit two mosquito coils.

They also found two dead mosquitos, their blood smeared against the living room wall.

Cops reasoned that the blood stains had been left behind by the burglar, as the homeowners would have cleaned any stains in their freshly-painted residence. Blood samples were taken as forensic evidence and sent for DNA testing. They were found to be a match for a known criminal, identified only by his surname Chai.

On being questioned, Chai confessed to the burglary and four other burglary cases. He was arrested 19 days after the crime, Global Times reported.