Drive through forensics lab unveiled

Forces in Ashfield and Mansfield have set up drive-in forensics labs for cars that have suffered a break-in.

The service, which is the third of its kind in the country, enables forensics specialists to check for fingerprints and take DNA samples.

The initiative is in response to the rising car crime in the area. The service is funded by a £400,000 grant from the Home Office.

Superintendent Ian Waterfield explained: “Motorists will be able to bring their cars to the clinic at a convenient time and will be back on the road within a few hours. Samples collected will be checked against national police databases in a bid to find a match and bring the culprit to book. Vehicle crime accounts for 13 per cent of all crime reported on the division and, while that only equates to six to eight crimes per day, it is a figure we want to slash.”