South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael, was successful in securing over £513,410 from the Safer Streets Fund and the money is being used to launch a crime prevention initiative in Merthyr Tydfil called Project Penderyn.
The Merthyr Tydfil Community Safety Partnership has identified the measures which will ensure Project Pendryn leaves ‘a crime fighting legacy’ that will benefit all of Merthyr town’s residents, workers and visitors, for a long time to come.
To this end, the most ambitious property marking campaign ever undertaken by South Wales Police is being launched in Merthyr Tydfil. The aim is to reduce crime, detect crime and improve feelings of safety in the town.
State-of-the-art technology is being used to make life harder than ever for criminals, as residents will be given the opportunity to mark their valuables with unique SelectaDNA solution, making their precious property and valuables less attractive to steal.
Every household in the Merthyr Town Ward will be given a DNA property marking kit and be able to mark up to 50 separate items of property. It means that if the property is ever stolen and recovered, it can be returned to the rightful owner. It also increases the chances that anybody involved in the theft of, or the handling of that stolen property, will be put before the courts for their crime.
The use of DNA property marking deters offenders who avoid committing crimes in areas where the likelihood of them getting caught is greater. In some areas, property marking has reduced burglary by as much as 80 per cent.
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