Slough residents use forensic science to deter burglars
Residents are being offered cutting-edge forensic technology to protect their property from burglars, during a Week of Action in Slough this month.
Starting on Monday 12 November, officers from Thames Valley Police and Slough Borough Council will be visiting homes to mark residents’ possessions with SmartWater™ solution.
This sophisticated product contains a non-hazardous, coded combination of chemicals. The clear liquid is simply painted onto the items to be protected. Each brush stroke contains a chemical trace similar to, but more robust than DNA.
When dry, SmartWater is virtually invisible in normal lighting conditions, but it glows a bright fluorescent yellow under ultraviolet (UV) light. It is almost impossible to remove, and even the slightest trace can be analysed in the forensic laboratory and used as evidence.
Sgt Damon Wilson of the Slough East neighbourhood policing team said: “As they enter the custody suite at Maidenhead police station, detainees pass under a UV scanner, where any traces of SmartWater on their body or clothing show up straight away. If we recover property marked with SmartWater, we know immediately whether the goods are stolen, and can quickly find out who they really belong to.
“We will be putting up signs in the locations protected by SmartWater, to warn potential burglars that property in nearby homes is now too risky to handle. SmartWater has been used by many police forces throughout the country and has proved to be a very effective deterrent, resulting in reductions in burglary of between 48 and 100 per cent.”
SmartWater marking is just one of many activities in a joint Week of Action being held by Thames Valley Police, Slough Borough Council and other partner agencies between 12 and 18 November.
Teams of people including Slough neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs, Special Constables, crime reduction advisers, community wardens, Community Safety project officers, Neighbourhood Watch members, local councillors and volunteers will be carrying out a wide range of activities aimed at making Slough a safer place to live.
Amongst the planned activities are property marking; high visibility police patrols; public meetings; a community safety surgery; graffiti removal and litter pick; hedge cutting; abandoned car removal and promotion of Neighbourhood Watch.
Thames Valley Police ~Slough