Unusual markings have been appearing on pavements around Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham as police attempt to counter a rise in burglaries in the town.
Chalk markings which state: ‘Police Notice – Property Marking In Use In This Area’ have been appearing at key routes in to the town to ward off thieves and warn them that SelectaDNA property marking kits have been used in the area.
The special kits have been given to householders and enable anything stolen, which is later recovered to be linked back to specific crimes via a unique DNA code.
Sergeant Helen Carver, who is the neighbourhood co-ordinator for Sutton Coldfield and Erdington, said: “The markings are chalk stencilling on our key arterial routes in Sutton Coldfield that offer crime prevention awareness. Kits are SelectaDNA to mark your property.
“We are working alongside several departments and our neighbouring police areas to reduce burglary in Sutton Coldfield. This is part of our strategy on top of the proactive work we are doing with our response and traffic colleagues.”
Sgt Helen Carver added: “Fantastic work by the Birmingham Partnership team to support us in beating the burglar and keeping our Sutton residents safe.”
Sgt Carver also confirmed they had allocated officers to help the area’s response teams as well as their daytime reassurance work.
West Midlands Police confirmed 13 people had been charged with burglary in December 2018. In January 2019, they confirmed that eight more had been charged in a 'new blitz on robbery and car-jackings in Birmingham'. The move follows a spike in break-ins in recent months.
Birmingham East chief inspector, Richard Harris, said: “Whilst this is a great step forward, it is by no means a resting point and we will continue to do all we can to catch suspected burglars.
“We can’t do this without the support from members of the public and the intelligence we receive and would encourage people to remain vigilant, keep their properties secure and report any suspicious activity immediately."
For further information and images contact: Jessica Farrugia, Senior Marketing Manager for Selectamark.
Phone: +44(0)1689 487829
Email:
[email protected]
Twitter: @selectadna
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