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Burglars have admitted they are giving a wide berth to homes protected by Shropshire-based SmartWater technology, a police officer has claimed.

SmartWater consists of a liquid containing a code which can be read under ultraviolet light.

It is applied to valuable items so that if they are stolen and later seized by police, their original owner can be determined. SmartWater is based in Telford.

Oswestry police officer Royston Alderwick said he had spoken to burglars in Oswestry in recent months who all said they would not target homes with SmartWater stickers in the windows for fear of being caught. Speaking at a meeting, he said SmartWater kits were being distributed by police to householders as part of an anti-crime drive and urged members of the public to contact the police if they did not receive one.

He said: “I have spoken to Oswestry’s burglars and they all said they would not go near properties which had a Smartwater sticker on their windows. They are afraid they will be linked to the properties and property stolen.”

SmartWater Chief Executive Phil Cleary today said: “The SmartWater badge is a very, very powerful deterrent weapon and criminals do live in fear of it because they know it could potentially lead to their arrest.To date more than 600 criminal convictions have been secured through SmartWater.”