DNA Spray Conviction in NZ Operation Ferrous Collaboration Met Urges Bike Owners To Use BikeRegister Void Properties Protected PAGE 02 PAGE 07 PAGE 07 PAGE 12 Newsletter Issue 12 Battling Britain s Burglars Merseyside Police Tackle Burglary With Traceable SelectaDNA Liquid CRIMINALS on Merseyside have been warned that their cards are marked as police launch their latest burglary-busting tools against acquisitive crime. On 2 June 2014, as part of the force s continued fight against domestic and retail crime, Merseyside Police launched a forensic marking operation using SelectaDNA s leading crime fighting products. Merseyside Police are offering 2,500 homeowners a SelectaDNA property marking kit to mark household valuables such as jewellery, ipads, mobile phones and flatscreen TVs. They are also signing up 30 retailers to benefit from the protection that SelectaDNA Spray can offer against anyone committing a robbery, raid or break-in. The SelectaDNA Spray can be activated by a member of staff in the event of a crime and the forensic spray leaves a mark on the offender. The mark, which is unique to each shop or business, is then visible under a UV light, which makes it much easier for officers to identify offenders. Chief Inspector Jenny Sims, said: Retailers are now using forensic sprays as a further security measure to deter people from committing these offences and identifying anyone who does commit this type of offence. As part of the force s commitment to tackling domestic burglary, officers and PCSOs from the Old Swan, Knotty Ash, County and Anfield neighbourhoods, have been going door-to-door offering SelectaDNA forensic marking kits and crime prevention advice to the community. Chief Inspector Jenny Sims, said: Merseyside Police is absolutely committed to tackling domestic burglary and we want to make it as difficult as possible for would-be burglars. She added: Each forensic marking kit has a unique code and the marker leaves an indelible mark when applied to your television or phone. If this piece of equipment is stolen and then later recovered, the mark can be identified and the item returned to its rightful owner. I would recommend making your treasured possessions as secure as possible. More on pages 4-5. 1
International News DNA Spray Conviction in NZ Danish Supermarket Success A BANK robber was sentenced to six years and three months in jail after staging an elaborate bomb-hoax in a South Auckland bank. Clive Macintosh Mackay, aged 47, robbed the Manukau Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), demanding cash from the cashier and leaving what he said was an explosive device on the counter, threatening to detonate it remotely. Upon leaving the bank, Mackay was unknowingly sprayed with SelectaDNA Spray, a synthetic DNA-laced mist that provides an irrefutable link between the offender and the crime. Mackay had disguised himself with a wig and had drawn on a false tattoo on one hand. He had even taped his fingers so he wouldn t leave any prints. He left the bank in a taxi where he was recorded on the taxi video camera, and it was this footage, combined with the discovery of SelectaDNA on his person that resulted in an early guilty plea. BNZ Head of Enterprise Security Owen Loeffellechner says that SelectaDNA provides a science that there is no escaping from. He said: This conviction is very pleasing and helps with closure for all our staff subjected to what was a dramatic and frightening crime. We are very grateful to the Police in achieving this outcome for our staff and the wider public. THE two main supermarket groups in Denmark are to use SelectaDNA Spray to deter robbers from targeting their many stores across the country. Dansk Supermarked Group (DSG) and Coop are competitors in retail but have chosen the same system to fight back against robbery, which was happening at one of their stores on an almost daily basis. The convenience store chain 7-Eleven will also be using the system, which sprays a DNA-coded mist that is traceable back to the crime scene on anyone breaking into a store to steal stock or fleeing from it with cash or goods. Construction Update ONE of Denmark s biggest construction companies MTHøjgaard has significantly extended its use of SelectaDNA, following a successful trial at selected sites. The company was so impressed with the protection that SelectaDNA offered, that millions of Euros worth of tools and site equipment is now being marked. 2
Spanish Rail Marked AN agreement has been signed between Catalan Government Railways (FGC) and our Spanish distributor to mark rail infrastructure with SelectaDNA Trace. Steel cables and signal boxes belonging to FGC are being marked to deter metal theft, leaving a unique, indelible code on each item, allowing police to be able to quickly identify FGC as the owner. The metal will be initially marked at selected points along the route and will then gradually extend across the network, which includes metro and commuter lines in and around Barcelona, as well as mountain and rural railways. Trace For Slovenian Rail A MAJOR project has been implemented by Slovenian Railways using SelectaDNA Trace to mark 15 kilometres of railway, plus metal components located in three main rail work areas. Our distributor in Slovenia says that the state railway was impressed with SelectaDNA s effectiveness in deterring metal theft and that it is likely that this project will be extended to include other sections of the network. Laptop Returned A LAPTOP was reported as stolen from the Te Wananga school in New Zealand by a student. It was discovered by police in a pawn shop in South Auckland. The police were suspicious when they saw a SelectaDNA sticker on it. The laptop had been marked with SelectaDNA as part of the BNZ Safer Schools Programme. The marking revealed that the laptop was registered to the school and has since been returned. Due to a partnership between police and second-hand dealers, a member of staff was able to identify the person who pawned the item and that person is now facing prosecution. Legal Challenge Swedish Railroad Order THE Swedish Transport Administration has placed an order to supply SelectaDNA Trace to mark cable and metal along the nine kilometre Harbour Railroad (Hamnbanan) in Gothenburg, Sweden. The trial order is part of The Swedish Transport Administration s target to mark valuable metal in selected hot spot areas to prevent theft. Deterrent warning signs will be placed along the rail link every 100 metres. In 2012, there were 318 metal thefts from the railroad, which links the Port of Gothenburg with the rest of Sweden. This caused 45,000 minutes delay to train services and major expense to the Swedish economy. SelectaDNA s Swedish distributor Ernst- Olof Persson said: Metal theft has been a major problem in Sweden for a long time and we are very happy to be a part of The Swedish Transport Administration s quest to solve this problem. WARNING These premises are DNA Protected Området skyddas med Märk-DNA www.safegruppen.se A NEW scheme to forensically mark legal documents belonging to deceased lawyers as well as cases with judicial problems has been initiated by the Guatemalan Department of Justice. The first phase of the initiative using SelectaDNA to mark documents stored at the General Archive of Protocols is now complete and ensures the authenticity of the papers. Our distributor in Guatemala says that legal fraud involving the illegal substitution of documents is a common problem and is committed by criminal organisations. 3
Marketing: The Merseyside Campaign PRIOR to the launch of the SelectaDNA scheme in Merseyside, the marketing team at Selectamark worked closely with Merseyside Police to create a campaign that reassures the public and deters criminals in equal measure. CRIMINALS BEWARE FORENSIC DNA IS NOW PROTECTING HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN THIS AREA IMAGE OF GENUINE DNA SPRAY ACTIVATION. THIS IMAGE HAS NOT BEEN PHOTOSHOPPED. www.merseyside.police.uk SelectaDNA is the global leader in forensic marking, and research indicates that the DNA fear-factor deters criminal activity. The team wanted to ensure that the full impact of the DNA fear-factor is felt in the hotspot areas identified by Merseyside Police. A wide range of high-quality creative work was made available to the police to help give the campaign the high impact launch and sustained visibility that was needed. This work ranged from custody suite posters to assist the Police in identifying forensically marked suspects and property, through to HD quality films and public awareness campaign materials. This creative work neatly ties in with SelectaDNA street signage and warning stickers which form a key part of the deterrent. The marketing team s approach was to help create original ideas that will encourage media and public awareness and conversation. One of these ideas was to use luminous blue inks on SelectaDNA billboards. The inks will glow at night, and can display a harder, more aggressive message in darkness than in daylight when the inks will become invisible. Communicating these messages at night will help reduce the chances of younger and older people living in the hotspot areas from seeing these messages, helping keep fear of crime at a healthy level, whilst targeting criminals more directly. The materials produced for the Merseyside campaign included a range of posters for use in police stations, in bus stop shelters, on billboards and for businesses to display. The team also produced static screensavers, burglary leaflets and We will Mark, Trace & Convict You postcards targeting known offenders. 4
Press and PR Our press department liaised directly with the Merseyside Police press team to promote the introduction of the new SelectaDNA crime reduction initiative to the media. A pre-launch event organised by Merseyside Police was attended by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, followed by a crime prevention event raising community awareness in Doric Park. On the day of the launch, media was invited to see the SelectaDNA Spray in action at a shop on Prescot Road, Old Swan, Liverpool. They were also invited to film an officer explaining a specially prepared burglary pack that contained details of the SelectaDNA property marking kit to a previous victim of burglary. BBC North West was in attendance and broadcast film footage and a news report about the scheme just a couple of hours after the official launch began. Our Facebook and Twitter pages were updated regularly with images on the day to highlight all key events. A template press release, case studies, images for a press kit and social media services were all available as part of a press support package from Selectamark. Our Facebook and Twitter pages were updated regularly with images on the day to highlight all key events CHECK ALL SUSPECTS AND PROPERTY FOR FORENSIC DNA SCAN WITH A UV LIGHT 5
Security Drive Protects Classic Cars Keeping Track Of Motorbike Theft THE Central Motorway Police Group from West Midlands Police has launched an initiative to help deal with the problem of classic car theft. steal the whole car, or strip it and sell it on for parts. In order to protect these cars, the new Classic Car kit is being used to mark sections such as doors, spare wheels and parts of the engine. Officers recently appeared at the Classic Car Restoration Show at the NEC in Birmingham to demonstrate and distribute the new SelectaDNA Classic Car kit, which is the mainstay of their new crime reduction scheme. Classic cars are often high value and are therefore attractive to thieves who might Full Speed Ahead for HS1 THE success of deterring metal theft on a section of the High Speed 1 (HS1) rail route has led to SelectaDNA Trace being deployed across the entire line. HS1, officially known as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, runs for 108 kilometres (67 miles) between London St Pancras and the UK end of the Channel Tunnel, through Kent. Rail infrastructure including copper cable, rail track and signal boxes are now being marked across the length of the line. Deterrent warning signs have also been erected, which in themselves have proved SelectaDNA S forensic marking fluid contains microdots with a unique reference number on them. It can be painted onto items of value such as car parts and if a vehicle is stolen and later recovered, the microdots can be read under a microscope and matched on a database so the vehicle s original owner can be found. Even if the microdots cannot be found, the fluid itself is completely unique, containing a synthetic DNA code which can be analysed in a forensic laboratory. Many classic cars travel the world appearing at rallies, shows and events. The SelectaDNA Classic Car kit is a nonintrusive way to add extra security without interfering with the look of the car. to be very effective. Trace, a specially-formulated spray, which contains UV markers and coded metal particles is already used by the UK s national rail operator Network Rail. The company s subsidiary Network Rail (High Speed) Ltd operates and maintains HS1. Selectamark is working in partnership with security solutions group Land Sheriffs to deliver on the HS1 contract. Ryan Ricketts, General Manager at Land Sheriffs said: The marking of the entire line is in progress and should be completed within the next few months. WEST Midlands Police is the first force in the UK to offer motorcycle DNA marking in a bid to beat bike thieves. Thieves have been targeting 125cc motorcycles and breaking them up for parts. The parts are then sold on making them difficult to trace and, if recovered, hard to reunite with their owners. West Midlands Police has teamed up with six motorcycle dealers across the region to offer SelectaDNA motorcycle marking. Motorbike owners simply need call one of the dealers taking part in the scheme and make an appointment to get their bike marked. Sergeant Andy Gregory from the West Midland s Crime Reduction department said: The more bikes we can get marked, the bigger the deterrent for would-be bike thieves and the more likely we can track where bike parts are being stolen from and sent to. This knowledge helps us catch bike thieves and handlers as well as helping us reunite owners with their bikes if they get stolen. 6
Met Operation Sniffs Out Metal Thieves Met Urges Bike Owners To Use BikeRegister OUR specially trained DNA marking detection dog was deployed to sniff for stolen metal as part of a Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) campaign to target national and international metal thieves. Jazz is the first detection dog in the world to be trained to sniff out stolen metal marked with SelectaDNA. Complimenting existing police search procedures, Jazz touches the metal with her nose identifying the target scent, allowing officers to move in and make further investigations. She was used as part of Operation Ferrous, where officers conducted roadside checks across London to ensure legality of load and vehicle safety. They also visited scrap metal dealers and motor salvage operators with the aim of disrupting the unlicensed trading of catalytic converters. Jazz and her trainer Mick Swindells helped police search vehicles that had been stopped under suspicion of carrying metal or other stolen goods. Arrests were made during the operation and vehicles were seized. Overall there has been 29% reduction in metal theft in London thanks to police operational activity, new legislation and a ban on cash payments for the receipt of scrap metal, to ensure there is a cheque or bank transfer audit trail. Chief Superintendent Sultan Taylor, Safer Transport Command said: The MPS together with its UK policing partners is driving home the message to metal thieves and noncompliant scrap dealers that metal theft and unlawful metal dealing will not be tolerated. Metal theft is a huge, crossindustry problem which not only has a massive impact on the economy, but also communities across the nation. THE Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is urging bicycle owners to take simple crime prevention measures to reduce their chances of becoming a victim of bicycle theft after a pan-london operation to pro-actively target thieves. Bicycle owners are being asked to deter thieves by having their cycle marked and registered on the BikeRegister database (www.bikeregister.com), which is owned and maintained by Selectamark. Latest MPS crime figures for the financial year 2013/14 show cycle theft has fallen in the Capital by 9% (nearly 2,000 less offences) compared with the previous 12 month period. MPS works with Transport for London (TfL) and other police agencies to ensure the best chances of bringing offenders to justice, restoring stolen bikes to their rightful owners and preventing anybody buying stolen property. Siwan Hayward, TfL s Deputy Director of Enforcement and On-Street Operations said: With the sun now shining, it s a great time to get on your bike - but please take a few simple steps to deter thieves by having it BikeRegister security marked, using really good locks of gold sold secure standard, and locking your bike well both on the street and when it s parked in your garden, shed or communal hall. 7
Keeping A Watchful Eye Theft Solution for Northamptonshire Schools SELECTAMARK is working with hundreds of Neighbourhood Watch groups across the UK to issue crime prevention advice and encourage residents to keep a watchful eye to deter and report any suspicious activity in their neighbourhoods. Many groups are using our SelectaDNA property marking kit, a police-approved Secured by Design product with no annual licence fee. The kit has successfully helped to reduce burglary by up to 85% in some areas. Possessions marked with SelectaDNA can be easily identified and returned to the registered owner if they are stolen and recovered by police. Deterrent warning stickers are supplied with each kit and can be displayed in a window or porch. Jim Wilson, Chairman of the Maidstone & District Neighbourhood Watch Association, which features approximately 400 groups covering 13,000 households, is encouraging members to take an active interest in home security and to use SelectaDNA to deter opportunist burglary, car theft and rural crime. He said: We were impressed with SelectaDNA and its obvious advantages over competitor products. Through conversations with local police, we feel that it is worthwhile promoting the kit to our members, as it is a product to be trusted. Catherine Dunn, Campaigns Manager for Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network (England and Wales) added: We recommend property marking products because they are a quick and effective way to protect your property. Thieves know that marked property can be traced by the police, and it also makes it harder for them to trade in or pass on stolen goods, so it makes your property less attractive to them. It helps the police catch criminals and, of course, marked property is far more likely to end up being returned to its rightful owner. Selectamark has been invited to attend the National Neighbourhood & Home Watch Awards in London on 20th June. FOLLOWING a spate of burglaries where a number of ipads were stolen, police are rolling-out a crime prevention programme to all schools in Northamptonshire. Officers from Northamptonshire Police are visiting primary and secondary schools to provide crime prevention advice, as well as introduce forensic marking solution SelectaDNA. SelectaDNA can be applied to electronic items including ipads, laptops, PCs and cameras, forensically marking them. The solution contains a synthetic DNA which can be used to identify the registered owner. Each school will have their own, unique solution containing microdots with a specific reference code for that school. Laura Jones, Deputy Head of the Prevention and Community Protection Department for Northamptonshire Police, said: The microdots in SelectaDNA enable us to immediately identify who the rightful owner is of any property that we believe is stolen. She added: Providing this solution to schools will help us prevent them from falling victim of crime. If any items are stolen the solution will be of a great help to subsequent investigations. We are committed to working with schools and hope rolling-out this solution and advice will assist them in their crime prevention activities. 8
Selectamarkplc Advanced Asset Protection New Appointments WE are delighted to announce that James Brown has taken over as Selectamark s Managing Director. Many of you will have already dealt with James in his previous role as the company s Sales Director. James s appointment follows the departure of Andrew Knights, who has stepped down after five highly successful years with the company. James said: We are very grateful to Andrew for his unstinting hard work and in particular for his huge role in expanding the overseas distributor network. We wish him all the best for his new life in Cornwall. After winning new tenders and contracts in the UK, Selectamark is also expanding its sales workforce by recruiting Victoria Price as Sales Executive in the B2B Sector. Victoria graduated from Loughbough University with a degree in Criminology and Social Policy. Victoria said: I thoroughly enjoyed my studies and gained a great understanding in many areas of crime prevention such as Secured by Design and the prison system. This led me to look for a career in the security industry and I can now see how well the knowledge I gained from my degree fits into the workplace. Distributors Flock To London SELECTAMARK s directors are set to welcome the company s distributors to London from over 30 countries. They will be attending a two-day Distributor Conference in June at the historic Butcher s Hall, one of the seven oldest City of London livery companies. The aim of the conference is to share experiences, best practice and success stories. Our marketing and IT teams will have the latest news on global branding, e-commerce developments and new product lines. There will also be expert speakers from the world of public order and forensics. Selectamark MD James Brown said: As the global leader in forensic marking, we are looking forward to welcoming our distributors from around the world to hear what has worked best for them in their territories and celebrate their collective achievements. BBC Debut For DNA Tagging System FILM footage of our High Velocity DNA Tagging System was broadcast to over five million viewers, when it was featured on BBC1 s The One Show. Filmed on location at the Tactical Training Centre in Stockton on Tees, Selectamark s Police Liaison Officer Nick Roach expertly demonstrated our latest product by tagging One Show presenter Michael Mosley with a SelectaDNA pellet. The system can tag an offender at a distance of 30-40 metres and when the pellet explodes, the DNA marking is visible on the skin and clothing under UV light for up to two weeks. The film showed the potential of DNA tagging to help police and security forces identify rioters and explained the science that could help convict criminals. Social Media Success We regularly update our Facebook page with news about the SelectaDNA range of products and have recently seen a 30% increase in our followers. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @selectadna for the latest news and offers. 9
Global Arrests & Convictions UK: four youths arrested and charged with lead theft after SelectaDNA Grease was used to place them at the scene of the crime in Lancashire. In The UK THE success of forensic marking products in the UK has had a dramatic effect on criminal activity. Criminals are now pleading guilty when they are made aware of the fact that they have been in contact with an item marked with a forensic mark or have been contaminated with a traceable liquid. The result of this has been a dramatic reduction in the amount of samples that are actually required to be analysed and an even bigger reduction in the amount of cases that have had to go to court to be proved. Thousands of hours of police time has been saved as a result of this, as well as ensuring the SelectaDNA brand remains powerful in terms of deterring criminals from committing future offences. There has also been significant savings to taxpayers, as burglaries and robberies are a huge burden to governments and communities. Our world map highlights countries where arrests or convictions relating to the use of SelectaDNA have taken place over the last twelve months : UK: all burglars/handlers of stolen household items marked with SelectaDNA were prosecuted following a police operation in Thames Valley. UK: SelectaDNA Defence Spray deployed by security guard at London shopping centre to convict an individual involved in a public order offence UK: a suspect was convicted of two offences after SelectaDNA was used to mark lead on churches in SE London. Belgium: SelectaDNA Spray activated in a violent casino robbery. The robber was apprehended after another robbery (no DNA Spray involved at that location) and could only be linked to the earlier crime by SelectaDNA traces found on him after the arrest. Robber convicted. Belgium: police return camera marked with SelectaDNA to rightful owner following the arrest of a Chilean travelling gang who had been operating in Belgium. 10
Netherlands: man arrested following retail and residential robberies. Police found SelectaDNA Spray on his clothing. Convicted and given a five year prison sentence plus damages to pay. Around The World Germany: two criminals convicted after stolen computers and flat screens were recovered and identified due to the presence of SelectaDNA. Germany: three criminals were sprayed with SelectaDNA following a violent robbery from an amusement arcade. Convictions secured. Germany: man arrested for handling stolen goods after he broke into a car to steal a laptop. In the process, he was sprayed with SelectaDNA Spray, linking him to the crime scene. In overseas territories Selectamark has found that when a SelectaDNA product is used as part of a prosecution for the first time it is likely that the case will go to court and expert testimony will have to be provided; or that forensic analysis will be required to convince the defence team of the strength of the evidence. Germany: two criminals arrested after trying to sell marked stolen metal belonging to rail operator Deutsche Bahn to a scrap dealer. Germany: robbery from an amusement arcade. Criminal convicted after SelectaDNA Spray was activated and matched the sample from the crime scene. Slovenia: SelectaDNA Gel was used to catch a thief who was stealing items sent through the post. The thief was arrested and convicted. New Zealand: man sentenced to six years imprisonment for aggravated robbery of the Bank of New Zealand (more details in International News on pages 2-3). New Zealand: man arrested and charged following armed siege which led to police search of premises. Stolen laptop was found and returned to school it belonged to. 11
Tower Of Strength VOID and vulnerable properties in the north-east of England are being guarded against metal theft via a strategic partnership between Selectamark and our forensic marking deployment partner DNA Protec. In a recent initiative with Your Homes Newcastle (YHN), DNA Protec marked metal infrastructure in 14 high rise tower blocks across the city of Newcastle with SelectaDNA Trace and asset marking solution. Items that were DNA-coded included copper/aluminium lightening conductors, cabling and brass valves in all plant and switch rooms, and all brass wet & dry riser valves. All items coded were then added to the SelectaDNA database. Over 300 deterrent signs have been erected externally and within the tower blocks to warn thieves that the metal is marked. It is hoped that the number of metal thefts reported since the scheme was introduced in May will fall dramatically across these 14 tower blocks. Geoff Seddon, Director of DNA Protec, said: Your Homes Newcastle has suffered previously from metal theft in all of these blocks and our work falls into their metal theft reduction strategy across the city. He added: The success of this initial contract in deterring subsequent thefts of metal from the YHN property portfolio could result in it being rolled out to other problematic sites across the city in the near future. Green Credentials WE have already gained the highest ISO certifications for quality and information security, but now Selectamark has been awarded the ISO 14001 certification for environmental management. Selectamark is constantly looking at ways to control our environmental impact and improve performance. Here are some of our key environmental objectives for 2014: Promote and raise awareness of good environmental policies and practices with staff. Increase recycling, reduce waste and minimise raw material use. Reuse packaging where possible. Print double-sided to reduce paper usage Reduce the environmental impacts associated with transport. Reduce energy usage. Computers and printers are turned off when not in use. For more information visit www.selectadna.co.uk or contact +44 (0)1689 860757 Selectamark Security Systems plc, 1 Locks Court, 429 Crofton Road, Locksbottom, Kent, BR6 8NL. Telephone: +44 (0)1689 860757 Permanent Visible Marking For further press information and images contact: Angela Singleton, Press Officer for Selectamark. Telephone: +44 (0)7905 623 819 Email: angela.singleton@selectamark.co.uk DA0241/1