JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If you ever had something stolen, even if the thieves are caught, you probably don't have high hopes of getting those personal belongings returned to you. But, a tech company is trying to help change that with DNA for your property.
In Clay County alone last year, there were 427 reported home burglaries. The Clay County Sheriff's Office said even when stolen items are recovered, many times there's not an identifier on those valuables to identify the rightful owners to police.
"There's family heirlooms, there's all types of very important things that we would want to be able to positively identify -- should your home get victimized by thieves," said Deputy Chris Padgett, public information officer for the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
ProtechDNA is a company trying to help theft victims get their stolen property returned to them. It has created kits that include an adhesive glue that you swab on the back of your jewelry, electronics and other items. Inside that glue are microscopic nanotags the size of a grain of sand that contains a PIN that is unique to you -- like DNA.
When police recover stolen property, they can shine a black light and see if ProtechDNA was used. If it was, the black light will reveal each nanotag and PIN. That PIN is registered in a global database that is linked to law enforcement -- and your information.
"These kits will not be beneficial for all if you don't go online and register your products," added Padgett.
The Clay County Sheriff's Office is just one of more than 5,000 law enforcement agencies across the country participating with ProtechDNA. The company is adding about 200 new agencies a month and is currently working to get other police departments and sheriff's offices in Northeast Florida on board as well.
Pawn shops
With thieves often turning to pawn shops to try to unload stolen goods, ProtechDNA can be another way to alert police that stolen property has been located.
"If we do make a transaction, we have to put in the serial number model number description of what it is," said Money Bridge Pawn general manager Dan Sibert, who said at the end of every day, he sends police a report of every transaction done that day. "It would protect us also. If we do take something that's stolen and the police seize it, we're out the money and the merchandise."
ProtechDNA has launched "Pawn Proof" in order to match users' property details with pawn shop transactions. That way, after you enter your information about your valuables on the ProtechDNA website, you can be notified if your property was sold to a pawn shop -- making it easier to recover your prized items.
"If I have no other evidence to show that this is mine, I think that this adhesive would really help," said Clay County resident Mikkyla Holliday.
Get your free ProtechDNA kit
You can get a free ProtechDNA Kit for your personal belongings no matter where you live. The insurance industry is subsidizing the cost for all residents -- so all you pay is about $5 for shipping.
ProtechDNA KIT: Order free kit
If you live in Clay County, you can avoid that shipping cost. The Clay County Sheriff's Office has the free ProtechDNA kits available and typically provides them to residents at community events. For more information about getting a free kit, you can attend a Clay County Sheriff's Office community event. You can also contact Protech and say you heard about the technology from the Sheriff's Office, and the company will send you a free kit.