.15 Crimes should not be treated in isolation.
.16 Offenders may be responsible for similar crimes
not yet solved, and when the evidence from those cases is accumulated
and considered, opportunities of identifying offenders may emerge.
Appropriate databases, including those held by organizations such
as the Information Sharing Centre established in Singapore under the
Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery
against Ships in Asia or the International Maritime Bureau established
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by the International Chamber of Commerce,
should be searched to identify any series of offences. However, usage
of private databases has to be compatible with the laws governing
the investigation. Consideration should be given to contacting Interpol
or neighbouring coastal States in case they have any information on
the offenders.
.17 Equally, offenders may have previous convictions,
the details of which could link them to crimes under investigation.