Northumbria Police have teamed up with public property owners to use SmartWater as the latest weapon in the war against metal thieves following a recent rise of metal thefts in the area.
Churches, schools and other public buildings on Tyneside are being painted with an invisible liquid that glows under ultraviolet light making it easy to detect offenders.
Det Chief insp Mark Warcup, of Cateshead Area Command, said: “We’re hoping this will be an effective deterrent to would-be thieves. Metal thefts are a real headache for property owners because it is not only inconvenient, it causes untold disruption and is expensive to replace.
“SmartWater will also help us to trace and arrest metal thieves and recover the stolen property.”
The crime-fighting liquid helps improve security by being painted on surfaces such as fences, walls, drainpipes and lead roofs to deter intruders from stealing metal. The invisible liquid glows under ultraviolet light making it easy for police to identify culprits.
The first place to use SmartWater is Fellside Methodist Church, Whickham, which has fallen victim to metal thefts twice over the past few weeks.
Roger Whitworth, from the church, said: “This is the second theft of lead we’ve experienced in a week and will be costing over £1,000 to repair the damage as well as the inconvenience it has caused.
“I hope the use of SmartWater will support the police in preventing further lead thefts and assist in identifying those responsible.”
The police are planning a phased roll-out which will see other churches, schools and public buildings applying the invisible liquid.
DCI Warcup said: “We’re also visiting scrap metal dealers and asking them to be vigilant and ensure they comply with the law to help tackle the problem. They can play a huge part in putting a stop to metal thefts by making it even more difficult for offenders to sell on their stolen goods.”
Local officers are out and about checking vehicles, visiting scrap metal dealers in the town and inspecting driving licences, vehicle insurance documents, waste carrying licences and registration with the local authority.
“Anyone suspected of being involved in stealing metal should be warned that we will target them,” he added.