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Businesses in Loughborough benefit from forensic property marking
Posted on 07/03/08
P. Klein
Charity shops and businesses in Loughborough are being given free forensic property marking kits to mark valuable shop property making it less attractive to thieves.
The shops are being given SelectDNA which comes in a pot of adhesive glue and can be applied to any valuable items of property such as computers, shop tills, lap tops and telephones.
Recent research by Leicester University showed that forensic marking was more of a deterrent than security guards, burglar alarms or CCTV. A survey of more than one hundred criminals showed that 74% of them said the invisible liquid was most likely to deter them.
Once applied, it is almost impossible to remove because it is difficult to locate (except with a UV lamp) and a remnant of the DNA remains in crevices and uneven surfaces. The DNA code along with the shops details will be held on a database which enables recovered property to be traced back to its rightful owner after analysis - even a tiny molecule of glue can be used to determine who the item really belongs to.
The shops are then putting a sticker in their windows to show that their property has been marked.
PCSO 6031 Sian Mapp, from the Loughborough town centre beat team, said; "As I am out and about on patrol I have been going into all the shops asking the owners or managers if theyd like to take part in the scheme and giving them some crime prevention advice at the same time. I started with all the charity shops and then moved on to other businesses. Everyone I have spoken to has been very positive about the scheme and I am working my way around everyone. It would be great if we could get every single shop and business in the town centre signed up because that would send out a really strong message to criminals."
Alison Swarbrooke, the Manager of the British Heart Foundation charity shop on Market Place, said; "When Sian walked into the shop and offered to mark our property for free we thought it was a great idea. We have done the computer, fax machine, till, credit card machine and our retail radio handset so its been great. Sian often pops into the shop to see us and check we are alright so we were thrilled when she offered to help."
Any businesses who would like to take part in the scheme can call PCSO Sian Mapp on Leicester (0116) 222 2222 and, when prompted, key in her collar number 6031.