A POLICE initiative to protect businesses from burglary using SelectaDNA has been introduced at a business park in Lancashire.
Funded by The Fylde Community Safety Partnership and supported by Lancashire Constabulary, the new Business Watch scheme has just launched at Whitehills Business Park, Blackpool.
Whitehills is home to around 50 businesses ranging from a BMW showroom to retail outlet B&Q. The development also includes small engineering and motor companies as well as a sign-writing firm and a PR company. So far, 25 of the premises are being protected by SelectaDNA, with more to follow.
SelectaDNA is a new forensic technology which links criminals to crime scenes and provides an unbreakable chain of evidence in a court of law. The liquid can be specifically DNA-coded to any business premises and also contains thousands of unique microdots, allowing the Police two ways to identify marked items.
PC Dawn Connelly-Perch, Community Beat Manager for Westby and Wrea Green, who has been involved in setting up the scheme at Whitehills, said: “The coding kits can be used to mark any item of value and business owners on the site have indicated that it would be particularly useful for marking anything from computers and televisions to scrap metal, industrial piping and machinery.
“SelectaDNA is quick and easy to use and should assist these businesses in protecting their premises. If items marked with SelectaDNA are stolen from a business and later recovered by police, they can be traced directly back to the crime scene – not only allowing the property to be returned to the business concerned, but also increasing the chance of a conviction.”
PC Connelly-Perch added: “I am confident that this will bring the desired effect of deterring crime in the first instance, however, for those hardened criminals who persist and steal from any of the businesses, their cards are now well and truly marked.”
Bryan Ward from the Fylde Community Safety Partnership said: “The partnership approved this funding contribution as we are keen to inform the business community that reducing crime and disorder in all sectors of the community remains our top priority.”
Signs have been erected around the business park indicating that SelectaDNA is in use.
Bryan Ward concluded: “This initiative is using technology to its maximum benefit and not only prevents crime but assists greatly in its detection.”
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