Driving Out Burglary From Breckland Homes And Cars

HOUSEHOLDERS and car owners in burglary hotspots throughout Breckland in Norfolk are taking part in a hi-tech police initiative aimed at preventing thefts.

Residents living in areas identified by Norfolk Police as most prone to crime during the last 12 months have been offered the chance to mark their valuables with a special forensic solution called SelectaDNA.

SelectaDNA can quickly and easily mark property such as laptops, TVs, mobile phones and satellite navigation systems with an invisible chemical containing a synthetic DNA code. The liquid is clear but shows up under ultra-violet light. If a marked item is stolen and recovered by police it can be traced back to the owner via the DNA code.

PCSOs have visited homeowners in areas such as Swaffham and provided previous victims of burglary with SelectaDNA kits as part of their crime prevention advice.

Swaffham has also suffered from a spate of vehicle crime since the start of the year and police have stepped up patrols in parts of the town where cars have been broken into. Valuable items such as CD players, CDs, cash and SatNav systems have been stolen from cars in the town.

Sergeant Dave George, from Swaffham Police, said: "We are reminding residents in the neighbourhood to secure their vehicles and remove all valuables from them. Opportunist thieves have been targeting insecure cars in the area, but by taking some crime prevention measures you can stop thieves stealing your vehicle or personal possessions."

Detectives, response officers and Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) have been issued with ultra-violet torches to help them identify marked property or offenders.

Inspector Ady Porter, of Swaffham SNT, said: “We have launched the initiative to support victims of crime and create even safer streets. We hope that the SelectaDNA kits will offer some reassurance to residents across the district.”