Police find sex doll in suitcase, defend procedures

New South Wales police faced an embarrassing situation after responding to a report of a body in a suitcase, only to discover it was a life-like sex doll. The incident occurred near Goulburn when members of the public found the suitcase dumped on the roadside.

“

Police have been blamed over the years, and rightly so, for tunnel vision. Can you imagine if it was a real body and they just go unzip the bag and say, ‘we’ll have a poke’? They did the right thing, it’s embarrassing, yes, but they followed procedure.

Despite the awkwardness, experts have defended the police's actions, stating they followed correct forensic procedures. Criminologist Vincent Hurley explained that officers are trained to avoid contaminating potential crime scenes. This means they might not fully open a suspicious bag immediately, to preserve any fibers or blood that could be crucial evidence.

“

Any potentially suspicious situation has to be treated with the best practice in forensic investigation. They did the right thing, they investigated it step-by-step.

Forensic science associate professor Paola Magni suggested that the best practice for such discoveries is to X-ray the container first. Even after realizing the object was a doll, forensic examiners likely continued their inspection. This is because the doll could be linked to another crime, and investigators would check for traces of semen or other DNA.

“

It’s not unusual to be in a suitcase, it’s just unusual that it turned out to be a plastic doll.

While the discovery was amusing in hindsight, police maintained they had "no regrets." The sex doll was not believed to be childlike, and investigations into the incident have concluded. The case highlights the challenges police face in distinguishing between real human remains and realistic replicas, especially when following strict forensic protocols.

“

Our police have undertaken the processes th