Police in Waterloo and Southbank have resorted to using a DNA-tagging spray to cope with the surge in phone snatching. Government figures published in September state phone theft over the prior 12 months had shot up by 150 per cent compared to the year before.
As a result of this, police officers in both tourist hotspots will be equipped with SelectaDNA tagging spray. This is part of a Home Office project to find ways of combatting the issue
The spray technology can be aimed by officers at moped-driving phone snatchers. The liquid can mark the bike, clothing and skin of riders with a unique synthetic DNA, which offers evidence linking the suspect to the crime.
When a UV light is sprayed on criminals stained by the solution the liquid shows up on their clothes in a clear fluorescent blue, according to SelectaDNA
A statement from the Metropolitan Police team for Lambeth North-West reads: “We will be making use of this in areas where phone snatches occur.
“We will be able to tag suspects with unique identifiable liquid that stains the suspect’s skin and clothes and will allow us to link suspects to crimes.”
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