A man has been arrested and charged with lead theft from a church in south-east London, after SelectaDNA Grease was used to place him at the scene of the crime.
The forensically-coded Grease was being deployed as part of a crime prevention initiative in Eltham (funded by The Community Safety and Environment Partnership of the Royal Borough of Greenwich) and is designed to protect outdoor materials such as metal roofing and copper piping from theft.
The product was painted onto the lead roof of a church in the area which had suffered from metal theft on more than one occasion. The church warden was keeping a watch on the premises and informed police when lead was stolen again.
Once marked goods are handled, SelectaDNA Grease transfers onto the hands and clothing of a metal thief. The police can then scan suspects with UV detection equipment to locate traces of the substance. The product cannot be scrubbed off easily and can stay on skin and clothing for up to two weeks.
PC Reece Bigwood from Eltham North SNT, said: “The DNA forensic grease
placed the suspect at the scene of the crime and as this case proves, it can lead to the prosecution of those who steal metal. We continue to deploy forensic grease to deter theft and burglary.”
