In 1976, well before fictional detective Horatio Caine (David Caruso doing his best William Shatner impression) surveyed a crime scene, donned his “sunglasses of justice”, and delivered an over-the-top one-liner to kick off another episode of CSI Miami, Amsco Toy Co. released their Mobile Crime Lab.
The toy effectively adapted an array of classic police science techniques for children aged 6-12, allowing them to channel their inner Hardy Boy or Nancy Drew. Included in the blue carrying case held together with a yellow flash light was a kit for rolling, lifting and identifying finger prints, a handwriting analyzer, and a 42-piece Ident-I-Kit with composite picture sections for doing “suspect profiling” on the fly. A magnifying glass and a crime prevention notebook that provided insight into using common household items to assist in investigations rounded out the package.
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