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THE heat is being turned up on thieves taking boilers from empty properties.

Officers from Sunderland East Neighbourhood Policing Team have flagged up homes that are at risk from being targeted by thieves. In an extra bid to keep burglars at bay, they are using SmartWater and extra closed-circuit TV to catch out those behind break-ins.

SmartWater is an invisible liquid which is virtually impossible to remove from property. It also shows up under ultraviolet light. It contains a unique forensic profile which can be used to place a criminal at the scene of a particular burglary.

Sergeant Lee Butler, who heads the policing team, said: “Burglaries raise the fear of crime amongst the community and we’re determined to put a stop to them. The neighbourhood policing team has identified properties which may be at risk and coated the boiler in SmartWater."

“Our message to thieves is there’s simply no value in stealing a boiler. Not only that, once it’s been disconnected from its original source there’s no guarantee it will work anyway."