Derbyshire police using DNA grease to target copper piping thieves

Published by Ross Macmillan for 24dash.com in Housing

Officers from a Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team in Derbyshire have been working to prevent metal thefts in the local community.

Recent gas explosions at housing developments in Cheshire (pictured) and London have been linked to theft of copper piping forming part of the heating infrastructure.

In February, Wandsworth Council said that an investigation into an explosion at a Battersea housing block in January had revealed that thieves were responsible for causing the blast, while last month, police said they believed an explosion which ripped through a block of flats in Runcorn was caused when copper piping was stolen from the building.

Derbyshire police are probing DNA grease, from Selecta DNA, which is being used to mark materials at risk of theft, such as metal flashing and copper piping.

The grease not only marks the metal but, if touched, it also stains the hands and clothes of the offender with a UV tracer and a unique DNA code.  These marks can stay on a perpetrator’s skin and clothing for weeks, forensically linking him or her to the stolen metal.

The UV tracer in the substance means that it becomes visible under ultraviolet scanners, with which all police stations in Derbyshire are equipped.

PC Dave Morton said: “There have been a number of lead thefts in the local area over recent weeks so the introduction of the grease is welcomed by local residents and aims to prevent future thefts of this nature.”

Codnor Parish Council is on board with the introduction of the DNA grease and is working with the police to identify hot spot areas. Cllr Chris Emmas-Williams said: “Alongside the application of the grease we will be putting up a number of Selecta DNA signs to make sure that would-be thieves are aware that metal in this area is protected with a transferable, forensic substance and that they should stay away.

“We hope that this work will help to protect residents from the distress and inconvenience of a theft of this nature.”