Burnet PD using forensic software in investigations

AUSTIN (KXAN) —  Burnet Police are using new software to help them in investigations.

Burnet PD and the Marble Falls Police recently purchased Cellebrite, a program that can help extract important data from phones.

"Cellphones," said Officer Joshua Day, an investigator with Burnet PD. "Tied to everyone and we do everything on them."

Day said cellphones play a critical role in solving crimes and can store much needed data.

"A lot of criminal activity that we have seen, such as drug cases and cases involving child exploitations things like that, It is all starting from technology," Day said. "Being able to forensically access the data and access that forensic digital footprint that these phones have, it weighs heavily on the case."

Burnet Police Chief Brian Lee said its a game changer and even hard to find files can be found.

"We gain a lot of critical evidence that is on the phones, it can even extract deleted files," Lee said.

In Texas sex offenders are required to notify law enforcement when they move to a new area and this new software is playing an important role in a current case.

"I was able to obtain warrants for his device and extract data from his phone, which in turn was able to provide all his GPS data dating back many years," Day said.

Day said the man failed to register and had been living in Burnet for a long time.

"We have already developed a pretty significant case with several deleted files that the suspect didn't realize he had left on his phone," Lee said.

Burnet PD has also added a lot of new technology, from drones to drug detectors, that can specifically identify certain drugs, for more on on those devices click here.