Secured by Design member company DeterTech and Northamptonshire Police have partnered in a joint initiative to prevent burglary and deter opportunistic thieves operating in Northampton.
Under the “Stand up to Crime” initiative, Northamptonshire Police will distribute crime prevention packs including SmartWater kits to residents in two pilot areas – Weston Area Northampton and Corby Kingswood. The initiative has been designed and funded by the Office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, after successfully being awarded funding from the Home Office Safer Streets 5 fund.
The crime prevention scheme enables residents to forensically mark their valuables with SmartWater and register their ownership on a secure national database. Each kit will include SmartWater, an invisible forensic solution, as well as warning stickers to deter potential burglars.
Developed by DeterTech, SmartWater is the only forensic marking technology that retains a 100% conviction rate in contested court cases, with scientists only requiring a trace of SmartWater the size of a full stop to irrefutably link people or property back to the scene of the crime. It is guaranteed to last for a minimum of five years in all weathers, even withstanding explosive blasts and harsh solvents, ensuring criminals can be convicted and that recovered goods can be returned to their rightful owners.
In conjunction with the “Stand up to Crime” initiative, Northamptonshire Police has also upgraded its custody suite facilities to better detect SmartWater technology. This proactive measure underscores the Force’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology in the fight against crime.
Dave Lewis, Police Relationship Manager at DeterTech comments: “Burglary is a sickening offence, and we commend Northamptonshire Police for spearheading this crime prevention initiative that will help bring peace of mind to hard-hit communities. SmartWater has been proven in domestic and commercial environments for over 30 years, which is why criminals actively avoid it.”
Hazel Goss, Secured by Design, said: “It is great to see DeterTech being used around the UK to combat burglary, which is a horrible crime to be a victim of. It has long lasting effects for those involved, sometimes losing irreplaceable items, family heirlooms and the heart break knowing you will not see them again. This is why marking property with products such as DeterTech can help you to protect your property from being stolen, and also assist in the retrieval as it is unique”.
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