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.
In a first-of-its-kind operation for the Met, the synthetic DNA allowed stolen goods to be uniquely identified and traced back to their original stores. Officers used CCTV and victim interviews to build their cases, leading to raids across eight off-licences and newsagents, a barber shop, and one residential property. The operation resulted in 15 arrests and the seizure of stolen items including alcohol, food, and board games worth approximately £150,000.
Over 100 Met officers took part in the extensive operation, which successfully disrupted the shoplifting ring operating across Merton and Wandsworth.
Police Constable Luke Taylor said: “I wouldn’t have been able to do this operation if it hadn’t been for Police Now’s programme, which is designed so that officers spend as much time embedded in communities as possible to focus on long-term problem-solving. That’s where I want to be and it’s why I joined through their neighbourhood programme.
“Shoplifting has a significant effect on the quality of life for our local communities and impacts the safety of those living and working in the area. It often results in further criminal activity including anti-social behaviour, assaults and violence, as well as fuelling drug-related crime. This organised criminal operation also took advantage of vulnerable people, paying them to shoplift goods on their behalf and encouraging individuals into crime.
“I knew we had to do something to tackle this problem and had the idea to use synthetic DNA, but we had never done a shoplifting operation like this before. I spoke to experienced officers across the force to learn from previous, similar operations for other crimes and worked closely with my sergeant and policing colleagues to form a plan. I also drew on my Police Now training, which encourages a mindset of determination and long-term thinking and emphasises the importance of strong partnership working. We worked with people across the council, fire brigade, Trading Standards and other public services to ensure our impact was as far-reaching as possible.
“It was an enormous team effort to launch and deliver this operation. I had a lot of support from my neighbourhood team and other experienced policing colleagues, and I recently shared the learning with my national Police Now cohort.”
Following the successful operation, Taylor has been asked to present his findings to senior officers within the Met and at Police Now’s national events, showcasing the effectiveness of this pioneering crime-fighting technique.
