We had no idea the crime rate — serious crimes, at any rate — was so low in Italy. Police are cracking down on non-compliant pooper-scoopers. And they are using modern methods to resolve the problem.

LaStampa, the daily newspaper in Rome, reports that a town in the north is creating a DNA database of registered dogs. With this information, they will analyze “leavings” to determine which owners are not properly policing the toilet habits of their dogs.

Owners who fail to pick up after their pets will be subject to fines. The mayor of Vercelli, population 45,000, said if signs weren’t enough to keep the city clean, law enforcement would see that owners live up to their responsibilities.

A similar trial program was implemented in the Israeli town of Petah Tikva, according to Reuters. Dog owners are required to take their pets to a veterinarian and have DNA collected from mouth swabs.

Sounds like they are putting a bite on this area of criminal activity.

Tax agency isn’t playing around

Hit them where it hurts. That’s the unofficial motto in South Korea, where people who don’t pay their taxes but are apparently perfectly able to do so are seeing their pricey golf club memberships seized in payment of their debt to the government.

It seems there are numerous residents who can afford the $200,000 to $300,000 club memberships but apparently are spending their excess at the 19th hole instead of teeing up for their fair share of taxes.

Reuters reports that last weekend, the National Tax Service seized 960 memberships. And if the former golfers don’t pay their tax bills, the memberships will be sold to the general public to generate revenue.

A release from the tax service said that last year, 1,720 golf club memberships were confiscated. Back taxes “in the millions” were recovered.

That’ll put a hole in one’s wallet.