By Maureen Marud, Consumer Editor
New crime-fighting technology that involves spraying thousands of tiny dots over vehicles and household properties has been made available in South Africa and is aimed at making it easier for the police to track down stolen items.
Microdot or datadot technology, pioneered in Australia, involves spraying assets with thousands of minute dots that contain a unique identification number. It is practically impossible for all the micro-particles to be removed because there are so many of them.
"It has become the most effective way of identifying property," says Herman van Zyl, a former police officer who now works for one of the four microdotting suppliers in South Africa.
Continues Below ↓
"At present there is no device on the market against armed robbery, because the fight against crime has focused on anti-theft devices until now.
"But criminals are changing their tactics, moving away from theft to armed robbery. Unlike thieves, armed robbers do not wait for you to leave before they strike. Instead, they wait for you to return, then put a gun to your head.
"Once they have your property, they want to sell it easily and quickly, without any complications. But if it has been microdotted, it can be traced back to them, so they prefer to bypass property that bears the microdotted stamp."
Van Zyl said a typical house could be microdotted for R250 if the householder did it. A contractor charged R800, which included after-sales services.
The microdot technology made it possible for the onus to be put on second-hand dealers to ensure what they bought was not stolen.
| 'They will be caught. It is not if, but when' |
"We can now reasonably expect a second-hand dealer to ask the police to check a consignment of goods he or she has been offered, or purchased," he said.
He added that police instructors had already been trained in the technology, and the police had recently bought 1 116 microdot inspection kits.
"We assist police by going to crime scenes and testifying in court. We also work with Business Against Crime to ensure that whoever needs assistance will get it.
"Apart from partnerships, we are setting up with various private and public institutions with the relevant skills and experience to make life really hard for any person who takes valuables unlawfully."
Philip Opperman, the chief executive of another microdot supplier, said: "Our strategy is to contaminate an asset to such an extent that if someone pinches it, they will be caught. It is not if, but when."
- This article was originally published on page 8 of Cape Argus on November 06, 2009
|
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
Twitter
