Toronto -- A British company says its spray-on DNA security system can tag and mark a thief for weeks, allowing law enforcement to link them to the crime.

Selectamark Security Systems says its system can be installed in any business often targeted by thieves, such as banks, gas stations, liquor stores or fast food restaurants, usually at an entrance or exit, along with a sign reading, "DNA spray system installed here."

A thief making a getaway would be sprayed by the system, triggered by either an existing alarm system or a "panic" button, The Toronto Star reported.

Tasteless and odorless, the DNA spray sticks like glue, giving off a blue glow under UV light for weeks and linking a criminal to the crime scene where it was sprayed.

"DNA samples can be taken from skin, hair and clothes and sent away to our lab for analysis," Jason Brown of Selectamark Security Systems said.

The technology is currently being used in European countries including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany, he said.