Caught in a Double Helix

Move over, pepper spray. There’s a new self-defense device on the market that’s getting a leg up on the competition. Though it looks as innocuous as a flashlight, Defender-DNA is a blood-sampling device for use in the event of a mugging or rape attempt.

“I always had to worry about my bartenders and waitresses going out to the parking lot at 2 a.m.,” says Bob Smith, the 56-year-old Floridian who developed the product while managing a restaurant.

Defender-DNA is powered with a 12-volt battery providing a 120-decibel siren. The half-inch-long blood-sampling probe is hidden beneath a cap and protrudes when the attacker is jabbed.

Since coming on the market in May, Smith has sold 500 of the devices.

After its use, Smith encourages victims to submit the device to police for evidence. For more information, visit his Web site, https://www.defenderdna.com.