Operation Kapel – Govanhill acquisitive crime prevention
Published 25 February 2020
Police Scotland and partner agencies in Glasgow are taking innovative steps to tackle the issue of housebreaking and theft in the Govanhill area.
Joint funding was secured through the Southside Area Partnership and Police Scotland Divisional Commanders Partnership Fund to purchase a number of ‘SelectDNA’ kits to be used across the area, with a particular focus on those who have been previous victims of acquisitive crime and the most vulnerable in the community.
The kits have been used by other police services across the United Kingdom and have been credited with reducing theft by housebreaking by more than 80%.
Inspector John Menzies, of Govanhill Local Problem Solving Team, said: “Each kit has a unique code contained within a liquid which shows up under specialist UV lighting.
“Homeowners can mark their belongings, such as TVs, mobile phones, bikes and other items with this special solution and then register these on a national database.
“This means we will be able to match up any property with its owner and be able to tell if it has come into the wrong hands.
“We are in the process of putting up signs around the area to let potential thieves know homes are protected.
“This operation will not only help us detect stolen items and those responsible, but will also crucially deter thieves from entering the area.”
Annie Macfarlane, Chair of Govanhill Housing Association said: “The Association are pleased to be able to support Police Scotland in this initiative, as it is important to us that tenants feel safe and secure in their homes.
“As someone who lives in the target area, I am strongly supportive of any scheme that seeks to reduce the level of house-breaking.”
@GlasgowSEPolice will be running a twitter campaign during Operation Kapel with the #CaughtNeonHanded and #OpKapel updates posted regularly with regard to the ongoing activity.
The scheme started earlier this month, with officers visiting householders to deploy the marking kits.
There will also be a drop in service at locations across the Govanhill community, where local residents can discuss any issues or concerns they have.
The mobile police office will be situated in Annette Street, Govanhill, during the campaign.
