IF there are visable prints (weather permitting and circumstances play a factor), they will process the vehicle for vandalism. They COULD take pictures of foot prints that will give possible shoe size, weight of suspect and what kind of shoe, but that wont help because that could still match a number of suspects, not to mention anyone in the neighborhood. Best thing to do is to ask neighbors if they saw anything or if they have heard that same vehicle before. Usually certain vehicles will give distinctive sounds (i.e. local rice.. lol). Usually in cases like this, it will be someone you know or someone who has it in for you.. ex-gf, ex-friend, someone you got into a fight with at school or a bar, etc. Other than that, unless they could actually SEE finger prints and lift them, they can only give you a report to file with your insurance company. If the finger prints ARE lifted and they send away to find who they belong to and match NO ONE, then it's pretty much a dead end. They will keep them on file for a while, but still...
And no, it doesn't work just like it does on TV. It's pretty hard to lift prints. It can't be smudged or a partial print (which you get if say someone was to pry, use tools, open windows with force, etc.) It's got to be almost perfect. Usually if they send the crime lab out, it's for burglaries, homicides, etc. Felony crimes.. not misdemeanors. Waste of manpower and resources mostly. There were actually two vandalisms here where two other officers had their vehicles vandalised. Do you know what they did? Made a report. No evidence to collect at the scene except for a few foot prints but that was it, they didnt process them, just took pictures for insurance. One of the cruisers had all of his windows shattered and keyed all along the sides. He was pretty PISSED about it, especially since it happened at his residence, but they never did an investigation and they didn't find out who did it. Sucks when something happens right in front of your nose and you wanted to catch the *&%#$ that did it. Keep an eye open, you may get wind of talk from someone close to you.
