Locks and Security News: your weekly locks and security industry newsletter
10th April 2024 Issue no. 700

Your industry news - first

We strongly recommend viewing Locks and Security News full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.

Thieves jailed following SmartWater operation

Matthew David Morgan, 25, and 22-year-old Shaun Devey were both sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for their part in a burglary in Morriston, Swansea.

The Swansea Council property had been targeted in previous raids, during which copper piping had been ripped out and stolen. So the authority fitted a SmartWater device, which sprays a high-tech liquid on intruders. The solution stays on skin and clothes, so any sprayed offenders will carry evidence of their crime wherever they go.

Acting detective inspector Keith Morgan said: "SmartWater is another weapon in our armoury in the fight against crime, and which played a significant role in the conviction of these men."

He added: "The operation to arrest these men was as a result of good working practices with our partners. Our message is simple - anyone who is arrested and is found to have traces of SmartWater on their person or clothing will have some explaining to do."

SmartWater can be used to mark items of property and criminals. Each batch of SmartWater contains a unique chemical signature which can be traced back to its point of origin, linking property to its owner and criminals to a crime scene. The liquid can only be seen using ultra-violet lights used by the police. Swansea Crown Court heard Morgan and Devey both had traces of SmartWater from the Morriston property on their clothes and skin.

Dorian Samuel, operations manager for Swansea Council, said the authority was committed to protecting its properties against theft or vandalism: "This is an excellent example of joint working and close collaboration between agencies to resolve a problem," he said.

SmartWater Chief Executive Phil Cleary, said: "Through partnership operations with the police and other law enforcement agencies, SmartWater has amassed over 1,000 criminal convictions and maintains a 100% conviction rate when used as evidence in court."
SmartWater Technology Ltd

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 0870 242 8899

21st July 2010