STONY BROOK, NY--(Marketwired - December 16, 2014) - Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN), (Twitter: @APDN), a provider of DNA-based anti-counterfeiting technology and product authentication solutions, highlighted today remarks by a high-level Stockholm police official, and an insurance spokesman urging car owners to use the APDN anti-theft product smartDNA® to protect their cars and car parts from criminals. The two experts in car theft prevention were cited in Sweden's largest-circulation newspaper, Aftonbladet.
Two well-known automakers have chosen to use Applied DNA Sciences' anti-theft technology to protect their vehicles imported into Scandinavia. A DNA mark is typically applied to parts of all autos of these manufacturers at the point-of-sale.
Lars Stervander, of the Stockholm county police, told the newspaper that he "advised car owners to mark up auto parts with smart-DNA." (smartDNA is branded in other countries as DNAnet®.)
Fredrik Kling, an official of the Scandinavian insurance giant IF, told the paper that, "IF recommends customers use smart-DNA in combination with a car insurance policy that covers theft, home insurance and comprehensive insurance."
While the number of thefts from vehicles in Sweden has declined in recent years, incidents are still high, and more dangerously, more organized. Gangs from Eastern Europe, especially Lithuania, are said by the newspaper to be at the heart of the car parts theft rings. More than 52,000 thefts from cars occurred in the country, according to statistics from the National Council for Crime. As the newspaper pointed out, this amounts to 142 pieces a day or nearly six pieces per hour.
Rather than stealing entire cars, according to the report, thieves focus on engine parts, airbags and mirrors. A motorized and heated BMW side mirror can cost the equivalent of $400. When these parts are marked with APDN smartDNA, the part is far more easily recovered, and the criminal can be linked to the crime.
"A transparent mark is brushed on and contains a unique code that can trace the part to his original car -- and thereby bind the thief to the crime," said Stervander.
APDN's smartDNA is used widely in Sweden, for example in the protection of retail stores, power plants, and has been adopted nationally by the police for law enforcement applications. Most recently the technology has been used in a pilot program in the Tyresö district of Stockholm to prevent theft of personal possessions. This program is sponsored in part by a consortium of insurance companies, of which IF is one. APDN partner Safesolution SmartDNA, AB has played an instrumental role in creating these programs.
Dr. James Hayward, President and CEO of APDN, stated, "Applied DNA SmartDNA brand has been used extensively across Sweden in numerous APDN DNA products and is now well known throughout the country. It adds to the theft deterrent value of the unique 'SigNature DNA' which is derived from plant matter and is very environmentally friendly. Swedes are well known and respected for their environmental credentials so it is perhaps no wonder they have adopted this product."
Dr. Hayward continued, "Initial orders could exceed $1million per year, with the opportunity for growth in this and other markets."
About Safesolution SmartDNA AB
Safesolution SmartDNA AB is a Sweden-based company, which among other things, provides security management for businesses. We have a unique experience, both as a customer and a supplier to large, complex and vulnerable activities. We have been responsible for EU certification of Arlanda and Bromma airport after September 11.
About Applied DNA Sciences
APDN is a provider of botanical-DNA based security and authentication solutions and services that can help protect products, brands, entire supply chains, and intellectual property of companies, governments and consumers from theft, counterfeiting, fraud and diversion. SigNature® DNA describes the uncopyable marker that is at the heart of all of our security and authentication solutions. SigNature DNA is at the core of a family of products such as DNAnet®, our anti-theft product, SigNature® T, targeted toward textiles, and digitalDNA®, providing powerful track and trace. All provide a forensic chain of evidence and can be used to prosecute perpetrators.
The statements made by APDN in this press release may be "forward-looking" in nature within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe APDN's future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of APDN. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to our short operating history, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance, market competition and various other factors detailed from time to time in APDN's SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on December 15, 2014, which are available at www.sec.gov. APDN undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, unless otherwise required by law.