Police & Housing Partnership Tackles Estate Burglaries

A HOUSING estate for vulnerable residents in Kensington, Liverpool, has been protected by SelectaDNA following the introduction of a new Partnership scheme involving Merseyside Police and a social housing group.

Homes occupied by over 200 elderly and disabled residents at Sheil Park estate had been targeted by criminals over the last few months with a number of actual and attempted burglaries taking place. Electrical goods were the main items being stolen.  The estate was built five years ago and is owned by Plus Dane housing group, a Registered Social Landlord.

Working in partnership with Merseyside Police, Plus Dane established that a common method of entry was being used by the burglars. Together, they introduced a number of target hardening initiatives to deter further incidents. These included securing windows, placing anti-vandal paint on the boundary walls of the estate and encouraging residents to use SelectaDNA to mark their valuable items of property.

SelectaDNA is a new forensic solution which contains a unique DNA code registered to a specific property. It can be easily applied to personal possessions including flatscreen TVs, jewellery, bikes, iPods and other expensive goods. The product is almost invisible when applied and does not damage valuable property in any way.

The system allows anything which is stolen during a break-in and later recovered by police to be directly traced back to the owner. It will also link a burglar directly to the crime scene, increasing the chances of a successful conviction at court.

Funding for the SelectaDNA kits was secured by Sgt Ian Devaney from Tuebrook Police Station, Liverpool, via the Working Neighbourhood Fund.

Sgt Devaney said: “This is a Partnership scheme and it was important that we moved quickly to stamp out burglary at Sheil Park.

“Residents are finding SelectaDNA quick and easy to use and it is giving them added peace of mind that they are able to do something to protect their property.”

Signage has now been erected in prominent positions around the estate, warning potential burglars that SelectaDNA is in use.

According to Plus Dane, residents have been very impressed with the new scheme. Mr William Barrow, who lives at Sheil Park, said: “Myself and other residents feel much safer in their homes and on the estate now this work has been done. It has made a real difference in the area.”

Sgt Devaney added: “Following on from the success of the scheme at Sheil Park, we are also planning to use SelectaDNA to deter theft from two densely-populated streets in Liverpool’s city centre which have been identified as crime hotpots.”