A rookie Metropolitan Police officer has successfully used synthetic DNA in an innovative operation to tackle organised shoplifting gangs in south-west London, recovering around £150,000 of stolen goods.
Police Constable Luke Taylor, who joined the Met in 2023 through Police Now’s two-year National Graduate Programme, spearheaded the initiative after initially leading undercover patrols in Colliers Wood to apprehend shoplifters. Determined to address the underlying issue, Taylor developed a plan to mark over 5,000 high-risk items at local retailers using 'SelectaDNA', a forensic marking system.
