The Metropolitan Police are the latest force to deploy a spray as a way to deal with the newly high-profile crimes moped theft, acid attacks and the anti-social riding of scrambler bikes. Besides the Met, other forces using the SelectaDNA Tagging Spray include West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Cheshire and Merseyside.
Merseyside have used the spray to secure two convictions for anti-social behaviour and dangerous driving; and West Yorkshire have another offender in custody, awaiting trial in October. Criminals also typically use stolen motor bikes and scooters to do other crimes.
Insp Paul Sullivan of West Yorkshire Police said: “The primary problem in pursuing any prosecutions against suspected offenders revolves around lack of identification evidence. A lack of witness testimony and forensic opportunities means that it is very difficult to secure sufficient evidence to support charges.”
Hence the Tagging Spray that can be sprayed by officers at suspected illegal and anti-social scrambler bikes, marking the bikes, clothing and skin of any riders and passengers with a uniquely coded but invisible dye. If suspects are arrested or bikes recovered, the DNA code will link offenders to bikes and any associated criminal offences. Once deployed the spray can be detected under ultraviolet (UV) light, which is already a standard feature in police custody suites.
Insp Sullivan said: “The solution can be projected onto a suspect without causing any harm whatsoever and will remain detectable for weeks and months on clothing and indefinitely on footwear.”
Once the offender has come into contact with the product, officers can later visit known suspects’ home addresses, with handheld UV lamps to detect the product on the person, clothing and footwear. If there is a positive reaction, the suspect can be arrested and clothing seized.
James Brown is MD of Selectamark, the asset protection product company which produces the SelectaDNA Tagging Spray. He said: “This is a great example of how innovative technology is helping police catch criminals and remove anti-social offenders and dangerous drivers from our streets.
“It only takes a tiny drop of DNA spray to tag and identify an offender and this tactic will undoubtedly lead to more seizures and prosecutions.”
Selectamark also, with Search Dogs UK, provides search dogs to detect SelectaDNA forensic markers on offenders.
