THE GLOBAL epidemic of metal theft could soon be halted by the Australian technology known as ‘micro-dotting’ which allows authorities to identify each piece of metal even if it has been altered.
According to the Australian Metal Recycling Industry Association, thieves were stealing copper from taps, cabling, tubing, spouting, and cemeteries, exploiting the high commodity prices.
On 29 July 2008, thieves cut power at a vacant Mt Waverley factory before stealing more than $10,000 in copper cabling from walls and roofing. According to authorities, thefts are becoming more professional.
Tracking the stolen metal has traditionally been thwarted because it is hard to identify once it is bent or melted.
The scrap industry says micro-dotting, created by Australian company DataDot, involves applying thousands of tiny polymeric or metallic discs to the metal. Each of these discs is inscribed with an identification number. These dots are extremely difficult to remove when applied, and they permanently mark the original identity of the metal part.
Originally used to track car parts, micro-dotting could be applied to scrap metal in the face of rising theft.

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