Schools across Manurewa in Counties Manukau today stand up to would be thieves by using SelectaDNA Property Marking Kits to mark property throughout their schools. The initiative coordinated by Police and funded by the Manukau City Council will see all 31 schools in the suburb receive kits and highly visible warning signage to deter opportunist thieves.
The project follows the successful 6 month SelectaDNA trial run in Randwick Park where an area of 1000 homes, schools and businesses were donated SelectaDNA kits. Over the trial period the area saw a reduction in burglary of 61 percent, and the schools included have not recorded an incident since its 1 September 2009 introduction.
"The hard work is seriously paying off in the community" said Manukau City Mayor Len Brown.
The SelectaDNA solution used to mark property is described by Manurewa Area Commander Alan Shearer as "high tech" and forms part of the target hardening partnership between schools, Manukau City Council and Police.
With 88 reports of burglaries in schools and 27 incidents of willful damage over the last year, Police look forward to seeing this number reduce over the coming months. "Results could be better than Randwick Park" Inspector Shearer says.
Students at Manurewa High School are sick of their equipment being stolen. It only takes a minute to swipe a laptop, but it can wipe out months of work by them and their teachers.
"It's gutting," says pupil Cochise Avei. "We spend most of our time now in the 21st Century using modern technology to keep up to date."
"It deprives us of our learning," adds Kodee Vaafusuaga.
Community members were encouraged to support and embrace the holistic approach to theft deterrence being implemented in the area. 'SelectaDNA is a part of the jigsaw puzzle of what it takes" said Mayor Brown.
"It's really going to help pull things together and let those crims out there know they're not going to get away with it," says Manurewa High School Deputy Principal Phil Muir.
This project runs hot on the tail of a similar scheme run cross the Rotorua District involving 44 schools. A 45% reduction in burglary has been experienced in the area (as compared to the same period in the previous year) since deployment in December 2009.
88 reports of Burglary in Manurewa Schools in the last calendar year as well as 27 incidents of willful damage.
Schools involved in the Randwick Park SelectaDNA Trial have expereinced a 100% reduction in burglary since its introduction.
Click here to see TV3 footage of the Manurewa Schools Project
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