Your great-grandmother’s wedding ring that was left to you. Your computer—and every other electronic item you had in the house. Your (registered) handgun. There’s been a break-in. Your house was ransacked. And the thieves got it all.
While whatever security measures you had in place to keep the burglars out may have failed here, you now have a better chance than ever of getting your things back, thanks to a cool new product from ProTech DNA called DNA for Property.
And, the best part is: It’s free, courtesy of the insurance industry, who was smart enough to see the advantage of underwriting the product instead of having to pay to replace their customers’ stolen stuff. After all, according to safewise, “More than five million thefts occur nationally each year!” That’s a lot of money out of pocket for you, if you’re a victim of theft, and for the insurance company who has to pay out a claim.
National investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen profiled the product on TODAY, demonstrating how it can greatly increase the chances that burglary victims will get their stolen items back. “In many cases, once police have recovered the items, it’s difficult for them to determine the rightful owner,” they said.
This anti-theft kit is poised to put an end to that problem; the product is a game changer that uses DNA to “tag” your things. According to the company, DNA for Property is a “forensic marking solution that will put your unique identifier on all your valuables. Each Dot is made of nickel, and has a unique PIN (Personal Identification Number). The glue/adhesive contains a UV trace that will glow under a black light.”
So far, more than 5,000 police departments across the country have partnered with the company, with another 1,000 being added each month, creating a widespread national anti-theft system.
Each kit comes with enough gel to tag about 100 items, so you don’t have to play Sophie’s Choice with your possessions. Safewise has a good rundown of the most likely items to get stolen in a home burglary to assist you in choosing what to include. Their No. 1: Cash. While you’re probably not going to mark every dollar bill that comes through your home, this is a great reminder to tag your stash of emergency cash or any bundles you keep in a safe or other (presumably) secure place in your home while you’re marking your laptops, TV, and art pieces.
You can get your free DNA kit from their website.
