Thames Valley PCC rolls out SelectaDNA tool marking to tackle tool theft & vehicle crime

Thames Valley PCC rolls out SelectaDNA tool marking to tackle tool theft & vehicle crime

More than 500 SelectaDNA Tool & Equipment Kits have been given to tradespeople across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes since March, as part of a new Vehicle Crime Strategy.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Thames Valley is supporting a series of tool marking events for tradespeople, backed by Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber and Thames Valley Police.

Since March 2026, the OPCC has distributed more than 500 SelectaDNA tool and equipment kits to electricians, plumbers, carpenters and other traders across the region.

Why tradespeople?

Tradespeople are significantly more likely to experience vehicle crime. Thieves see tools as high-reward, low-risk targets, and a theft can mean lost work and income as well as the cost of replacement. Figures from Wickes, cited by the OPCC, show that four in ten UK tradespeople have experienced tool theft.

Part of the Vehicle Crime Strategy

Tool marking is one of the key deliverables in the Vehicle Crime Strategy, developed by the OPCC in partnership with Thames Valley Police. The strategy was launched on 18 May 2026 at a tool marking event at Wickes in Bracknell, where SelectaDNA marked tools alongside local officers.

The strategy is built on five pillars: prevention, collaboration, data and intelligence, enforcement, and trust and confidence. The PCC reports almost 2,000 fewer thefts of and from motor vehicles in Thames Valley in 2025 than in 2024, but says there is more to do.

Speaking at the launch, Matthew Barber described tool marking as "one of the simplest ways tradespeople can protect themselves from tool theft". He added that more marked tools make them less attractive to thieves and help protect tradespeople's livelihoods.

How SelectaDNA works

Each SelectaDNA kit can mark up to 50 tools. The solution uses synthetic DNA and microdots carrying a unique code registered to the owner. If marked tools are stolen and later recovered, police can identify who they belong to and return them.

Featured on ITV Meridian

The initiative was recently featured on ITV Meridian, which covered how SelectaDNA is helping Thames Valley Police and the OPCC support tradespeople and tackle tool theft. 

Find out more

Tradespeople in the Thames Valley can find details of upcoming events on the OPCC's Vehicle Crime and Tool Theft page. Read the OPCC's announcement: Police and Crime Commissioner launches strategy to tackle vehicle crime.