McDonald's Puts DNA Spray Over Its Doors

Like a free DNA spray with that? Following a spate of robberies, McDonald's outlets across Australia are installing DNA-spray devices over their doors to douse fleeing robbers with an indelible mark, the Daily Mail reports. The non-toxic spray will mark alleged thieves with a DNA code that lasts for months and shows up bright blue under the light of police UV flashlights—tying crooks to the scene of the crime. "It's a great deterrent," a McDonald's spokeswoman tells the Sydney Morning Herald.

During a trial period, she says, six restaurants "experienced zero robberies and reduced instances of anti-social behavior." Now the invisible spray is being installed in all 780 Australian McDonald's outlets. The chain bought the systems from British security company SelectaDNA after three restaurants were robbed in Sydney over the holidays. The only glitch now: accusations that cops are getting free burgers for stepping up patrols around McDonald's. "That's a complete furphy," says an inspector. "A while ago there was a corporate discount but police don't get McDonald's for free." (Store owners in the Netherlands have already been using DNA spray and DNA crayons.)