Nevada was given its first demonstration today of a new form of anti-theft protection known as, “Anti-Theft Dots DNA Security Labels.”
At first glance, they appear similar to a misplaced smudge of transparent glue, but when inspected under a device that looks similar to a cross-hybrid of a flashlight with a digital camera, the smudge reveals a unique series of letters and numbers.
People using the Anti-Theft Dots register their unique number to a database that police departments have access to. If police officers come across the stolen or misplaced goods marked with one of these unique identifiers, they can check the database for the owner’s information and return the property.
Anti-Theft Dots are being used in 17 states and is projected to be used nationwide by the end of the year. Anti-theft Dots come in different forms. They can be applied using a single application sticker, or spread over multiple 
pieces of property using brush or spray methods
Anti-Theft Dots are hard to detect, hard to remove, and can be applied to nearly any surface material — recommended applications range from electronics to hard metals. They can survive temperatures up to 2,000 degrees and can’t be removed without grinding away the surface of the material.
Although using this technology provides a way to mark property, there are some additional measures that should be taken to ensure found property is returned. Currently, it is not police department policy to check every recovered item for the dots, so it is important to specify that the stolen property has been marked in the initial police report.
Anti-Theft Dots can be purchased at the Wolf Shop inside the University of Nevada Reno.
