New Wiltshire anti-burglary initiative employs a sniffer dog

Operation Siege was announced by Inspector Pete Sparrow at a launch event on Tuesday (July 26) as an effort from the force to "prevent crime, improve community engagement, and improve positive outcomes".

Wiltshire Police is offering SelectaDNA forensic marking kits which can be used to tag items in a home with a UV light sensitive adhesive. According to data from the company, implementation in north Manchester reduced burglaries by "up to 83 per cent".

Each kit allows you to mark fifty items and costs £60, but the force is offering an indefinite discount code 'NHWAWILTSHIRE' so that residents can buy their kits for £25.

While the adhesive can be identified using a UV torch, dogs have also been trained to sniff it out.

Mick Swindells, managing director of Search Dogs UK, is the first person in the country to train his dogs to sniff out the SelectaDNA.

Mick is a retired police officer and now runs his own company training search dogs, such as nine-year-old Ronnie who was showcased at the launch event. He performed a demonstration of Ronnie's ability by getting the dog to sniff out a phone marked with SelectaDNA.

Inspector Pete Sparrow, from Wiltshire Police, said the initiative is "tested and proved for crime prevention". He added: "This is about the public and police working together to prevent crime."

Each kit includes a bottle of adhesive, application swap, 50 ID stickers, four 'thieves beware' stickers, a set-up card and instructions. Wiltshire Police have already offered kits for free to victims of residential burglary (including outhouses) and those living in burglary hot spots.

The contents of a SelectaDNA box

The SelectaDNA residue is near-invisible to the naked eye, lasts for five years and cannot be erased

Merv Quick, committee member of Wiltshire Neighbourhood Watch, attended the launch event. He said: "You can't expect a police officer everywhere and people have to be more aware of their own responsibilities.

"This is another tool that has a great reputation for getting your own goods back."

To find out more about SelectaDNA or to order a kit, click here to visit the website.

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