Tag Archives: Applied DNA Sciences

DNA-marked valuables in London

It seems like an odd Christmas eve announcement but the Dec. 24, 2012 news item on Azonano highlights a new initiative from the UK Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Applied DNA Sciences, Inc., (Twitter: @APDN), a provider of DNA-based anti-counterfeiting technology and product authentication solutions, announced today that the UK Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) will be using its proprietary DNANet™ property marking kits as part of a major initiative to reduce crime in targeted London neighborhoods.

… The unequaled forensic merit of DNANet markers empower municipalities to apprehend and convict criminals. In the long term, crime deterrence rises from enhanced policing and prosecution power. [emphasis mine] Street and home signage announcing the use of DNANet markers will place potential offenders on alert, offering additional deterrence value.

Chief Inspector Robyn Williams, who is responsible for Neighbourhood Policing and Partnership in Lambeth, said: “The response from Lambeth residents to this Burglary crime prevention and reduction scheme has been extremely positive with an almost 100% take up rate of addresses visited to date. Police in Lambeth will continue to adopt and utilise innovative tactics including DNANet property marking that will support us in keeping our residents safe.”

Enhanced policing and prosecution power will deter crime? Intriguingly, the movie version of Les Misérables opened Dec. 25, 2012 and. as I recall the story, the lead’s (Jean Valjean) criminal past is due to extreme poverty. Perhaps the elimination of poverty would help alleviate some crime? In any event, people who steal from your home aren’t usually the biggest criminals and DNA marking will not lead to arrests of corrupt stock traders, bankers, and others of that ilk who not only ‘steal’ but have also, in the not so recent past, helped to bring down econ0mies.

From a technical perspective, the Applied DNA Sciences website (the company is based in the US) doesn’t offer a great deal of detail about their DNA marking products although there is a description of covert marking (from the Law Enforcement product page),

An item is marked with a stealth DNA marker – not detectable by offenders. Upon item recovery, a surface swab sample is taken and evaluated in the Applied DNA Sciences technology center. Additionally, surface swabs of offender hands and clothing are analyzed. Presence of the marker provides forensic evidence/offender linkage to crimes. Perfect for ransom recovery and narcotics operations.

An overt marking description follows on that page.