A top-secret defense prototype worth $50 million vanished during its four-leg courier trip across the city. Each courier used a digital receipt to confirm they handed off the package. But the package never reached its final destination. As the lead investigator, you need to track down the thief before the prototype ends up in the wrong hands.
Route and Timing Information:
- Courier A (Jane): Went from the Central Hub to the Museum District from 11:00 to 11:45 AM.
- Courier B (David): Took it from the Museum District to the Financial Quarter from 12:00 to 12:30 PM.
- Courier C (Amy): Transported it from the Financial Quarter to the Industrial Zone from 1:00 to 1:45 PM.
- Courier D (Mat): Brought it to the Secure Facility from the Industrial Zone from 2:15 to 3:00 PM.
Individual Accounts:
Jane: “I gave David the titanium briefcase on the museum steps at 11:43 AM. He wore the standard blue courier uniform and presented the correct ID. I should mention that the briefcase’s digital lock had a blinking green light because I had attempted to open it but couldn’t crack the code. David seemed competent signed the tablet, and didn’t linger.”
David: “I picked up the briefcase from Jane and headed straight to the Financial Quarter. I didn’t see the lights on it when she handed it over—I was in a hurry. Traffic on Fifth Street held me up, it took me 35 minutes instead of the usual 30. At 12:35 PM, I gave it to Amy at the bank plaza, and the green lock light was flashing then. Amy was on a call when I arrived. The briefcase seemed heavier than I expected for this type of delivery.”
Amy: “David arrived 5 minutes behind schedule, but I picked up the briefcase at 12:35. When David gave it to me, I noticed a red light blinking on the digital lock every 5 seconds. At 1:42 PM, I handed it over to Mat at the loading dock in the industrial zone. Mat was already there waiting with his van doors open.”
Mat: “Amy gave me the briefcase at 1:42 PM. The digital lock had a red light that flashed every 5 seconds when I got it. I went to the facility, but a chemical spill cleanup on Industrial Boulevard and the rain held me up for 30 minutes. When I arrived at 2:55 PM, I discovered the briefcase was empty.”
Extra Evidence:
- GPS records show all couriers stuck to their assigned paths.
- Camera footage confirms each handover occurred at the scheduled time.
- Analysts discovered signs of water and soil inside the empty case.
- The digital lock manufacturer says: “Green means secure. Red means the case has been opened. A flashing green light points to tampering or failed entry attempts.”
- Each courier’s tablet tracked their position every 5 minutes during their work hours.
The Puzzle: Who removed the case contents, and what clear proof backs this up? Remember the event timings, lock signals, and the rainy spell between 12:45 – 2:30 PM as you crack this.
——- View the answer ——-
Solution:
Amy is the guilty courier.
Key evidence: Amy says David gave her the briefcase with “a red light pulsing every 5 seconds,” but David explains he passed it on as Jane gave it to him. Jane’s tampering caused blinking lights, but not the red alert Amy described. The decisive clue involves the moisture inside the briefcase. A heavy rainstorm happened from 12:45 to 2:30 PM, which lines up with the time Amy had the briefcase in her possession from 12:35 to 1:42 PM.
The dishonesty: Amy gave false information about the light color to make others believe the briefcase was already in an alarmed state when it was handed to her. During the rainstorm between 12:35 -1:42 PM, she opened the briefcase (which explains why it was damp inside), took the items from it, and later said it was already tampered with to avoid blame.
Proof backing this claim:
- Jane says she tried to mess with it but failed, which led the lights to blink at first.
- David explains the lights were just “blinking” and not in full red alert mode.
- The water inside shows someone opened the briefcase while it rained between 12:45 and 2:30 PM and not before that. Amy was in charge of it then.
- Amy’s story about “red pulsing lights” doesn’t match what David said, which makes it seem like she’s trying to claim the briefcase was already opened when she received.
- Jack also stated that the red lights were already on when he received the briefcase confirming to Amy’s story that it was already opened when handed over to him.
Amy used the rainstorm as a chance to open the briefcase in a hidden spot. She emptied it, allowed rain to seep into it, and then made up a story about seeing red alert lights. This was to make it appear as if the tampering had happened before she had it.
