DNA spray tagging is becoming an increasingly useful tool to catch balaclava-clad criminals who commit an offence thinking they won't be caught because they've covered their face, Cheshire's police boss said.

Police and crime commissioner Dan Price (Lab) was responding to a question from Cllr Judy Snowball (CEC, Lab) about a reference in the update report on how he is delivering the police and crime plan, which referred to DNA spray tagging at football matches to deter anti-social behaviour.

Mr Price stressed to Friday's (September 18) meeting of the police and crime panel, it's not mass spray tagging.

"The use of this is helpful when people are trying to evade law enforcement," he said.

"So another area that could have been referenced would be e-bikes, where sometimes officers are spraying DNA tagging on somebody who is going past way over the speed limit and want to avoid law enforcement.

"Of course, then that spray tagging that's being carried out in that live moment that could then lead to arrest half an hour later, an hour later, whatever."

He said the spray marks equipment, clothing, or skin with a uniquely coded DNA solution, it is invisible and it provides forensic evidence to link individuals to a specific crime or event.

It shows up under UV light and clings to skin and clothing for months.

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"I think it's especially helpful for policing now, as we enter a period where more and more people are wearing balaclavas, and so are doing illegal activity, and they know they're doing illegal activity, and they're hiding their face in the belief that that means that they won't be arrested for having done that activity," he said.

"So I think this technology is a really important tool for UK policing, with all the changes that we're seeing happen."