DNA "Dots" Helping People Protect Their Property

CLAIRTON (KDKA) - There's a new way to track down stolen goods.

Many new cars come with technology that helps police find them if they're stolen. So why not do the same thing for your flat screen TV or even your bicycle? Now you can, if you live in Clairton.

A microdot so small, so tiny that you can hardly see it is the key. Each dot contains your own personal PIN number that you register with police to identify your property.

Clairton Police Officer Matt McDaniel marked a few dots off on his desk for our KDKA crew to see but we could barely make out their location. He's heading up the Protech DNA program for Clairton.

Created by the Spokane, Washington, company, the system lets you place dots on valuable items like electronics, cameras and even jewelry. Each dot kit comes with a PIN number on the lid. Inside, dots containing that PIN number are mixed in glue. Dab a dot onto your valuables and it dries  nearly invisible to the naked eye and to thieves. Next, register on the company's website and add your contact information for police.

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"Then it will send you to your property link where you just start adding your property. If you're adding a television set, if you're doing a laptop computer, a camera," McDaniel explained.

Protech DNA sells dot kits to residents and gives Clairton police a free scan gun to detect the dots.

"I can sign in under the Clairton Police Department I can put the numbers in there and it will link me to that property. It'll link me to the information for that owner and through the course of an investigation, I can get in touch with them," McDaniel said.

Uni-Mart North State Street started stocking dot kits Wednesday at a cost of $34.95. So far, no buyers but plenty of people are interested. Clairton resident Tara Coddington told us, "I had an iPhone that was stolen and I was able to go online and deactivate it and so on and so forth. So I think it's a fantastic idea."

Tracking stolen belongings just like a stolen iPhone, and Clairton is the first city in Pennsylvania to do it.