By James Gamble
Police officers are to be equipped with a ‘tagging’ spray in a bid to tackle London’s phone snatching epidemic.
The Met Police’s Waterloo & Southbank Neighbourhood Team said all its officers will be equipped with bottles of the SelectDNA spray.
The invisible spray can be used to mark the clothes, vehicles and skin of criminals trying to steal electronic devices from members of the public.
The solution can last for months and contains a unique DNA code registered to each user’s canister.
When a UV light is shone on items stained by the liquid it becomes visible in a fluorescent blue.
The Met Police said it had secured funding from the Home Office to equip officers with the spray.
On how the spray works, SelectaDNA explains on their website: “The award-winning SelectaDNA Personal Defence Spray works by spraying the offender with an invisible synthetic DNA solution, marking skin and clothing for days, weeks, or even months – greatly increasing the chances of conviction.
“The solution contains a unique DNA code that is registered to the user’s canister.
“When Police use UV lights on marked criminals or clothing the solution shows up in a clear fluorescent blue.
“The unit is operated with one hand. By holding the canister in an upright position and pressing with a thumb or forefinger, you will be able to spray a jet of clear liquid that reaches a distance of up to four meters.
“The SelectaDNA Personal Defence Spray has been developed specifically to help women feel safer in public and to secure the convictions of dangerous criminals who threaten them.”
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Met’s Lambeth North-West page announced that the spray was being introduced to deter phone snatchers in the area.
They said: “The Waterloo & Southbank Neighbourhood Team has secured funding via a [Home Office] project which has resulted in all of our local officers to be equipped with [SelectaDNA] tagging spray.
“This is part of our efforts to reduce and tackle phone snatchers across the area.
“We will be making use of this in areas where phone snatches occur.
“We will be able to tag suspects with unique identifiable liquid that stains the suspect’s skin and clothes and will allow us to link suspects to crimes.”
