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Rail networks looking at DNA technology to catch thieves

Feb 7 2010 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

A National Express Intercity train

TECHNIQUES used to convict murderers and rapists could soon be used to catch thieves who steal railway tracks and cables.

The North East is the worst area in the UK for gangs who steal metal from train lines and try to sell it for scrap.

Last year, in the UK, there were nearly 2,000 thefts, of which more than 800 were in the region.

As well as costing more than £5.2 million, the gangs also cause frequent disruption to train services.

But now scientists have devised a special liquid containing synthetic DNA which can be coated on metal.

If the metal is stolen, the DNA code can be read with an ultraviolet light and police are able to say exactly where it was taken from.

The product, which is called SelectaDNA, can be heated to 1,000C, which means that, even if the track or cable is melted down, it can still be identified.

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