British police successfully uncovered the details of an attempted murder and proved the involvement of three criminals. The key to solving the case was an Apple tablet, which one of the suspects had thrown into the River Thames in an attempt to destroy evidence. However, investigators recovered the device and used its SIM card to trace communications and data that played a crucial role in the case.
A High-Stakes Investigation
Tablets are typically used for entertainment and communication, but in this case, an iPad became a crucial piece of evidence in a criminal investigation. British police were able to track down and prosecute Louis and Stewart Ahearne and their accomplice Daniel Kelly, who had been involved in multiple crimes across different countries.
The three men had previously stolen valuable ceramics from a museum in Geneva, but their involvement in an attempted murder in London remained unclear—until investigators recovered the iPad from the Thames.
A Crime Dating Back to 2019
The case began in 2019, when Paul Allen, a former criminal involved in Britain’s largest-ever armed robbery, was shot multiple times in his rented home in London. The attack left him disabled, and for years, police struggled to determine how the attackers had tracked him down.
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During questioning, Louis Ahearne mentioned a car journey in which Daniel Kelly had stopped and walked toward the Thames. Investigators suspected he had discarded an important object, initially thinking it might be a weapon.
A Vital Clue Hidden in the Thames
Using metal detectors, police searched the area and discovered an iPad buried under sand. Though the device was damaged beyond repair, they extracted a pink SIM card belonging to Daniel Kelly.
This SIM card revealed key communications between Kelly and the Ahearne brothers. It also connected them to GPS tracking devices found in a car seized during their arrests. Investigators used this data to reconstruct the crime, exposing how the three men had planned and executed the attack.
An Ongoing Investigation
The discovery of the iPad and SIM card gave investigators crucial evidence to charge the suspects. However, British authorities believe the case may still uncover new details.
One officer stated, “This is the kind of case where the more we investigate, the more we find.”
Police remain cautious but determined, knowing that their persistent investigation has already revealed far more than the criminals ever anticipated.
