Mayoral Chains Protected Against Burglary

THE Mayor of Castle Point in Essex made sure his chains of office were secure today by having them forensically marked to show the importance of protecting valuable items.

The event was organised by Castle Point Borough Council in recognition of National Burglary Day of Action, a Home Office initiative.

Inspector Darren Wiles, who is in charge of several Neighbourhood Police teams in the Castle Point district, marked the chains with SelectaDNA, a forensic marking product that contains a unique DNA code.

Castle Point Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) has already purchased hundreds of SelectaDNA marking kits to help residents protect their belongings from thieves.

The Mayor, Councillor Norman Ladzrie, said: “The Mayoral chains won’t be damaged in any way because the mark is invisible to the naked eye. But it is a valuable item, and like the valuable items people have in their own homes it should be security marked. It really is important that people take care of their property and hopefully this event will inspire residents to consider their own security precautions.”

SelectaDNA is a new forensic marking system which can protect personal items of value such as jewellery, antiques, mobile phones and iPods. The SelectaDNA formula consists of an ultraviolet tracer and an individual DNA code. The clear liquid can be applied to any household items including flatscreen TVs and laptops to identify them as belonging to a particular property. If an item is stolen and later recovered by police, it can be scanned using a UV light and traced back to the rightful owner via the DNA marking.

Statistics show that by marking belongings and displaying warning stickers, residents can reduce their chance of being burgled by up to 85%.

Councillor Tony Belford, cabinet member for community safety for Castle Point Borough Council, said: “Castle Point is a low crime area, but even one burglary is too many. So we would encourage residents to take basic precautions to keep their home and property secure. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live, simple steps like marking your property can make all the difference.”