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  1. Applications
  2. Measurement technology
  3. UV lamps for SelectaDNA in police operations

Used by the police: UV lamps

Thanks to artificial DNA stolen property can be identified with UV light

For a few years now the police has increasingly been advising the public to mark valuables with artificial DNA such as SelectaDNA. In case of a burglary thusly marked stolen property can quickly be assigned and returned to its owner. Plus, labels indicating artificial DNA scare thieves off. The number of burglaries is going down, while the percentage of cases solved rises. The marking is rendered visible by means of a UV lamp.

Artificial DNA such as SelectaDNA, which is for instance used by the Bremen police, works on a simple principle: The buyer gets a freely available marking kit with the artificial DNA substance. He either brushes or sprays it onto valuables such as a car, bike, laptop, bank notes or a jewellery box. At first, SelectaDNA goes unseen by the thief and is only rendered visible by means of a special UV lamp once the stolen goods are found. Under UV light each DNA kit displays an individual code by use of which the legal owner can be identified by the police through database queries.

Off-putting: DNA labels reduce the number of break-ins

Also it has been proven that labels indicating artificial DNA act as deterrent. Where these are used, the number of burglaries is substantially reduced – even to the double-digit range.

The UV lamp shows the DNA code on the stolen goods

Artificial DNA to reduce the theft rate not only has a visible effect on private homes: Shopkeepers can also work with spraying devices in the doorway, which are activated in case of a burglary, thus marking the thief. Even the Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) by now marks copper pipes and tubing with SelectaDNA as anti-theft measure. In case of a burglary or when the police is confronted with suspicious objects, a UV lamp renders the marking on the stolen property visible. The two UV-A hand lamps from the Trotec range of products, which are used for leak detection, are also ideally suited for use by the police.

UV-Torchlight and UV-TrackMaster – two practical aids for police work

Depending on their respective mission the better-suited equipment for the police is either the small UV hand lamp UV‑Torchlight 15F or the larger version UV-TrackMaster. Both devices are battery operated. With a weight of 230 g, the former can be carried along in every jacket pocket, the UV-TrackMaster weighing 780 g is better kept in the police car until needed. Then however it pays off with high performance: This UV lamp with ergonomically shaped pistol grip was specifically designed for large-scale illumination. Hence it is ideally suited for thorough searches for artificial DNA on parking lots, in trucks and halls with stolen goods. The UV-TrackMaster is ready for operation immediately after switch-on and independent of magnetic fields. It comes with an operating time of about 1.5 hours. During the police work with artificial DNA such as SelectaDNA the UV lamp impresses with its high UV-A radiation intensity. It renders even the smallest tracers visible in the daylight and from afar. Without having to darken the surroundings or daring the officers to climb.

UV‑Torchlight 15F – the torch with spotlight and floodlight function

The small UV lamp UV‑Torchlight 15F is suited either as addition to or vanguard of the large UV lamp: Of handy size, it can always be carried along and is immediately available for a quick DNA check. The metal housing is robust and the operating time amounts to more than 2 hours. The flexible illumination range makes the UV‑Torchlight 15F a universally applicable tracer detector for investigative tasks involving artificial DNA. Owing to the high spotlight radiation intensity of this UV lamp, a high fluorescence stimulation is achieved. This makes even small tracers clearly visible in the daylight – just as it does in case of the larger UV-TrackMaster. Compared to typical UV-A torches the UV‑Torchlight 15F can not only be used in spotlight operation: An integrated focus ring enables the infinitely variable regulation of the UV-A radiation cone from spotlight to floodlight. This variable focal length setting allows a broad range of applications of the UV‑Torchlight 15F – and particularly qualifies it for police work involving artificial DNA.

UV lamps for SelectaDNA in police operations

Measuring devices

Leak detection

UV-Torchlight 15F UV‑Torchlight 15F LED 55,480 µW/cm²

 standard equipment

 optionally available

 not available

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