Testimonials
Business
"The risk management package that SmartWater has put together for us demonstrates the level of understanding and experience they have of dealing with metal theft. Their team offers a truly holistic crime prevention service that isn't available anywhere else. They have shared knowledge with our security team, identified issues and vulnerabilities, and responded with flexible, proactive solutions to deter thefts and target persistent offenders."
Bernie Auguste, Head of Security, BT Openreach
"Our partnership with SmartWater has proven itself in the courts many times - contributing invaluable forensic evidence and leading to a significant number of criminal convictions. Throughout our working relationship, they have proven themselves to be thoroughly professional innovators with a clear and ongoing commitment to reduce the risks that our couriers face."
Tim Horsfall, Risk Technology Development Manager, G4S Cash Services UK
"Cable theft can have a major impact on the success of delivering our projects and the operational railway. SmartWater have demonstrated an accomplished knowledge of the threat we face. They provide a very professional service supported by an innovative communications strategy which keeps us alerted to any heightened criminal activity within the project area. They have invested a great deal of time familiarising themselves with our sector."
Ellen Dean, Scheme Project Manager, Network Rail
"SmartWater is an essential component in our layered approach to security, which has captured the imaginations of our staff. They offered a combined risk management approach to help us make our site secure and reduce the risk of potential downtime. We have signage at every gate and regularly carry out vehicle searches using UV lights. What sets them apart is all the back room support they offer. Having access to experienced investigators who have police contacts delivers a total package."
Stuart Warburton, Site Fire and Security Manager, Shell UK Oil Products Ltd
"There is more to SmartWater than just a set of products - their approach of providing ongoing support is very much appreciated in tackling our security issues. Their Client Support staff have taken the time to understand our issues and provide a solution that complements our existing security policies and controls."
John Lee, Security & Resilience Manager, Severn Trent Water
"SmartWater has played a crucial role in helping us to develop a layered security strategy. Cable theft can have a massive impact on our business, so the ability to deter thefts was a key factor in our decision to go with them. Their ongoing assistance in generating awareness amongst potential handlers and receivers of stolen goods has been vital and has already resulted in two arrests."
Mark Diffey, Director, MEMS Power Generation
"Anglian Water is working in partnership with SmartWater to help fight crime in the region, particularly by working closely with the Police to combat metal thefts. SmartWater is in use at 1300 water and wastewater sites to protect a wide range of assets, machinery and metals. This has helped to successfully reduce the number of metal thefts from our sites over the past 12 months."
Lynda Chamberlain, Security Manager, Anglian Water
"Since we started using SmartWater forensic taggants within our cross pavement cash-in-transit iboxes, we have seen a measurable reduction in robberies throughout the area of deployment. This demonstrates the awareness of SmartWater that exists within the criminal fraternity and the influence that it clearly has on them. SmartWater provides us with an extremely effective and valuable service and is a key component in our ongoing crime prevention plans."
Andrew J Scott, Security Programme Manager, The Post Office
"Theft of metal is a serious crime and has had a devastating effect on a large number of our customers since 2007. From the beginning of the metal theft epidemic, we have been working in close partnership with SmartWater and continue to promote it to our customers. We believe that the SmartWater brand is a very powerful tool in our fight against metal theft, as it is well known amongst potential thieves and acts as a significant deterrent."
David Bonehill, Claims and Risk Services Director, Ecclesiastical Insurance Group (EIG)
"The theft of metal from churches can cause untold amounts of damage, resulting in huge repair bills. Protecting our places of worship from thieves is our duty and SmartWater has helped us satisfy this duty, providing the means to both deter and detect those responsible for committing these crimes."
Steve Aldersley, Claims Manager, The Catholic Church Association
"We have been most impressed with the level of customer service and the pre-emptive warnings we've received about possible crime threats. We are a relatively new railway however our experience elsewhere indicated we would be susceptible to cable attacks. We hope SmartWater will be a huge deterrent for us in the future."
Jannine Lavender, Security & Outside Parties Co-ordinator, Network Rail (CTRL)
“We are delighted that SmartWater has helped to stop the ram-raids on our London stores and due to its success, we are installing SmartWater in all of our stores across the country.”
John Loughrey, Security Manager, Mulberry
“I have followed the development of SmartWater with interest since its inception and I am excited with the prospect of extending its use into jewellers’ shops.”
Michael Hoare, Chief Executive, National Association of Goldsmiths
“Following a number of violent armed robberies in our jewellery shops, we felt the need for additional deterrence over and above on site security guards. SmartWater appeared to be a simple but effective solution.”
James Amos, Boodles Marketing Director
Schools
“Computers are vital in schools nowadays and losing all of our equipment was devastating. SmartWater’s easy to use and gives you peace of mind.”
Jane Dunwell, Head Teacher, Tredington Primary School
“I think it’s a brilliant idea. Computers are absolutely essential to schools. Losing them is a serious problem. We’re upgrading all the time. If thieves knew you didn’t have SmartWater you would become a target.”
John Moore, Head Teacher, Charlton Kings Primary Junior School
Police/Communities
“SmartWater has been very successful and has delivered excellent results, keeping essential teaching aids safe in our schools as well as saving money for the council.”
Cllr Tony O’Neill, Deputy Leader of Coventry City Council
“These results are outstanding. Working with the police has proved invaluable and it’s satisfying that this scheme has been recognised as a model of best practice.”
Councillor John Nash, Gloucestershire County Council
“Sutton chose to adopt the SmartWater Strategy largely because of its great appeal in reassuring the public as well as the technical capability against crime as part of a combination of forensic systems. Not only did we manage to suppress ‘race hate’ crimes but no ‘SmartWatered’ house has been burgled since we introduced the scheme. In fact burglary across Sutton fell by 35% over 4 years – demonstrating a significant contribution to a sustained reduction in crime.”
Superintendent Warren Shadbolt, Metropolitan Police
“We chose SmartWater because it is well proven and, as the purse holder of public funds, I have to consider value for money carefully. The key advantage we found was that, unlike other systems, SmartWater was already well known by the criminal fraternity and has been shown to reduce burglary in previous exercises. By adopting an intelligence-led approach to the use of SmartWater, we have been able to dramatically improve burglary repeat victimisation and during this year, as a part of the Nottingham Weeks of Action programme, we have seen burglaries in all homes that have received SmartWater, being reduced to less than 1%.”
Alan Given, Chief Executive, Nottingham Crime and Drugs Partnership
“The thing that sets SmartWater apart is the fact that it is so well known and ‘respected’ by the criminal fraternity. It’s a fundamental aspect of SmartWater’s strategy that the criminals are on notice through targeted messages in the media, which tells them, quite simply, that they can be caught and convicted. Certainly the results we have had in Oldham- 62% reduction in burglaries – indicates that they steer well clear of it!”
Detective Chief Inspector John Piekos
Awards
“The winners are an inspiring example of how British Industry can take a good idea and develop it into a commercially successful venture.”
HRH The Prince of Wales when awarding SmartWater the 1996 Prince of Wales Award for Innovation.