The Department of Justice is to provide funding for a service aimed at preventing property from being stolen.

Property marking is a process where a physical mark is etched onto a piece of property, such as a bike, laptop or tools.

The mark is made by a specially designed machine that embosses the property item with small dots in the pattern of the owner’s Eircode. This makes it harder for criminals to sell on stolen property.

The department is providing €300,000 to Property Marking Ireland, a new company set up roll out a property-marking crime-prevention programme throughout the country.

Progress reports

Property Marking Ireland (PMI) is the trading name of Community Services Network (CSN).

The department says that CSN is a not-for-profit social enterprise with no shareholders, and that all funds raised by PMI will go towards providing the service, with any profits used to improve or expand it.

The department has agreed to provide grant funding to the scheme for four years, after which it is due to become self-financing. The €300,000 commitment is subject to annual progress reports from PMI that must demonstrate “satisfactory progress”.

“Every piece of property-marked is another that criminals will find harder to sell on if stolen,” said Minister for Justice Helen McEntee.