Zero Residential Burglary Reported in East Dulwich

BURGLARY has been one of the key drivers of crime levels in East Dulwich in the London borough of Southwark.

But following a new scheme launched in October 2008 using SelectaDNA forensic property marking kits, there were ZERO residential burglaries reported in the area over a two month period to December 2008 – an amazing feat in what is traditionally the most active time of year for thieves to operate.  This has helped reduce burglaries in East Dulwich in 2008 by 50%.

Since the introduction of  the scheme, business burglaries were also down, with only four reported from October–December 2008.

The scheme called Cleaner, Greener, Safer is funded by a Southwark Council Liberal Democrat capital spending programme. From the £43,000 allocated to the scheme, East Dulwich ward councillors established a Crime Reduction fund which has purchased 1,000 residential SelectaDNA kits, 10 UV light sources for police use, and SelectaDNA marking kits for all local schools.

Other purchases to improve community safety include speed cameras, metal detectors, speed signs and alley gating.
Following a recommendation from The East Dulwich Safer Neighbourhood Team (ED SNT) that SelectaDNA is the most effective property marking technology to use, the scheme is being rolled out to 100 homes a week. East Dulwich has 5,200 homes and currently just over 19% of homes have been property marked.

Local Lib Dem Councillor James Barber said: "SelectaDNA is the most advanced and best value property marking kit on the market. This scheme means we can help 1,000 homes or 20% of the homes in East Dulwich this year become much less attractive targets for burglars.”

The Safer Neighbourhood Team has been helping residents use the marking kits in their homes. Each kit contains a bottle of the SelectaDNA formula, which consists of an ultraviolet tracer and a unique DNA code. The clear liquid can be applied by residents to any household item to identify it as belonging to their property.

If an item such as a laptop, flatscreen TV or an iPod 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.

Councillor James Barber said: “We've encouraged the ED SNT to deploy SelectaDNA at and around homes that are burgled. The aim is to inoculate those homes and neighbouring homes from repeat burglaries. We are aiming for every fifth home to have SelectaDNA property marking.”

He concluded: “Our target is for East Dulwich to go from being 3rd best for lowest reported crime levels in Southwark to 1st. In one year's time I expect to be able to say that East Dulwich is no.1 for lowest reported crime in Southwark.”