LOCAL police and Swansea Neighbourhood Watch have joined forces with Swansea Council to stop metal thieves in the city by deploying SelectaDNA Trace, the latest in the range of forensic marking technology products from Selectamark.
A spate of thefts of copper pipe in the Morriston area in the last few months has prompted the initiative which enables council tenants to get copper piping at their homes security marked to deter thieves from stealing it.
Warning signs have also been erected throughout the Caemawr area to warn potential thieves of the security measures that have been taken.
SelectaDNA Trace is ideal for outdoor metal marking projects. The solution, which comes in an easy-to-use aerosol contains two identifiers: Trace nanoparticles which authenticates the mark as a genuine SelectaDNA product, and metal microdots which identifies who the registered owner is. The code on the metal microdots is linked to a secure database which is accessible to Police at all times via a secure online login.
The main benefit of Trace over standard forensic property marking products is that it allows Police to identify stolen property on the spot, which means they are no longer reliant on lengthy analysis times. This has subsequently led to arrests and convictions, with thieves admitting their crime because the on the spot evidence is so strong.
Tony Pain, South Wales Police Crime Reduction Advisor said: “The metalwork has been marked with a DNA-style forensic solution. This solution contains a unique code which enables the Police to positively identify the marked items and is one of the tools we are using in Swansea to tackle metal theft.”
Housing officers in Swansea said that they had received a number of complaints from tenants who claimed that they had pipe work missing or that their gas meter had been tampered with
June Burtonshaw, Cabinet Member for Place in Swansea Council said: “We are doing everything we can with the help of local police to make sure residents are safe and their homes are not threatened by mindless thieves.
“If council tenants notice anyone suspicious near their property they should contact the police immediately.”
Local police officers are also talking to city scrap metal dealers to make them aware of the issue and to advise them not to
Phil Williams, Neighbourhood PCSO said: “This type of Crime is not common but interfering with the gas supply could cause an explosion. We are all working together to keep the residents safe.”
Jackie Pickard, Chair of Swansea Neighbourhood Watch Association said,
“Our local schemes are only too pleased to help the local Policing teams and our partners in tackling local crime whenever we can”
