Getting ‘Smart’ to beat crime

Merseyside Police used the latest forensic technology to clamp down on the seasonal cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies in the run-up to Christmas.

The force teamed up with SmartWater Technology and G4S Cash Services (UK) in a bid to reduce the number of CIT robberies and deter offenders.

SmartWater is a unique method of marking items that is invisible to the naked eye and contaminates people who handle the items.

It was incorporated into a variety of anti-theft systems, as well as the cash boxes used by couriers.

G4S is the first company to use SmartWater. As part of the initiative specially adapted ultra-violet scanning lamps were installed at every police custody suite in Merseyside. Handheld scanning devices were also issued to officers to enable them to scan for the product on routine stop checks.

Phil Cleary, CEO of SmartWater, said the product is currently used in a variety of forms by 95 per cent of UK police forces but this was the first time that it has been used in CIT vehicles and cash boxes.

He added that the use of SmartWater has to date resulted in over 400 convictions and in many of these instances, the cases have not even gone to court owing to the indisputable nature of the evidence.

Telford police officers are using SmartWater in their battle to clamp down on the theft of metal across the borough.

They are using the technology at vulnerable premises throughout the town to assist the efforts of officers working on Operation Livewire, an initiative aimed at cracking down on metal theft.