At BBC TV filming of Antiques Roadshow at Leeds Castle in Kent, Maidstone police officers showed a forensic marking product to help protect antiques from theft.
SelectaDNA is a water-based adhesive with a locked-in DNA code that cannot be replicated or de-coded. The product can be applied onto antiques, dries within a minute and is visible using a UV lamp.
Crime Reduction Manager for Maidstone police John Grant said: "SelectaDNA is a liquid that carries unique DNA markers which can be easily applied to valuable and delicate items such as antiques so that if they are stolen they can be traced back to their rightful owner. One of the main advantages of using a marking product like SelectaDNA is that it is virtually impossible to remove traces of it and identification can be made from tiny specks the size of a pinhead. This makes our job a lot easier, as it acts as a deterrent to thieves in the first instance and is much easier for us to return the stolen items to the rightful owners."
The Antiques Roadshow is visiting 17 venues across the UK this year. At each show, some of the UK’s leading antiques and fine arts specialists will be on hand to offer free advice and valuations to visitors, who are invited to bring along family heirlooms, household treasures and car boot bargains for inspection.
John Grant concluded: "The turnout at the Antiques Roadshow was very good and the response to SelectaDNA was extremely postive. There was a lot of interest shown in the product and the general feeling was that it is an efficient, inexpensive and easy way of protecting valuable items from theft.
