Special forensic kits are a powerful new weapon for police, as they battle to crack down on street robberies in Dunstable and Houghton Regis this summer.

They can use the handy portable kits at crime scenes - instantly capturing even the tiniest traces of DNA evidence on a victim's skin or clothing.

Criminals who grab someone's jacket, or search through pockets, can leave behind DNA samples that could lead police straight to their doorsteps.

Beds Police began introducing the special kits at the start of the year, and officers across the county are now using them.

Det Sgt Jay Bains, head of the Dunstable-based Robbery Squad, spelled out just how useful the kits will be for police in South Beds and Mid Beds.

The detective said: "The kits are proving to be highly portable, convenient and quick to use, and are another important tool in helping to identify offenders and put them before the courts.

"We will be taking full advantage of them in the Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard and Ampthill policing areas, where we are committed to driving down robberies."

The school summer holidays are approaching, and robberies are expected to rise as youngsters set out to steal property, including mobile phones and personal stereos, from other young people.

Police hope that teenagers will heed the warning that they can cut down their chances of becoming a victim of crime.

The youngsters are advised to keep valuables out of sight, avoid remote areas and only carry as much cash as they need.

If a mobile phone is stolen or lost, the chances of retrieving it are far higher if the owner has registered it, free of charge, on the National Phone Register.

To register a phone, check out www.immobilise.com or www.menduk.org.

>> Do you have any information about a robbery? If so, you are urged to contact the Dunstable Robbery Squad, in confidence, on 01582 473325, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Bedfordshire Police

Crimestoppers