By Leah Conway – KLTV Contributor
Photo Credit: Lee Haywood
The use of smart water with Wakefield City Centre has proved a success. Therefore, it has been announced that its use will spread to other areas within Wakefield.
What is Smart Water?
Smart Water is a high tech traceable liquid that can help track down stolen items. It is a forensic solution that has a unique code and is naked to the human eye.
How does Smart Water work?
Businesses can mark products with Smart Water. In addition, businesses can have signs that show the shop is Smart Water Protected. The hope is that signs will deter any offenders.
If offenders are caught with stolen items that have been marked with Smart water, police officers are able to trace where the product has come from.
In addition, if officers has to search properties for stolen items they can be sent off for forensic analysis. Smart Water would then produce a report of where the products were from.
Where will it be equipped?
Smart Water was tested in Wakefield City Centre to help tackle and reduce retail crime. Wakefield City Centre’s Neighbourhood Policing Team have started spreading the traceable liquid. Area to benefit from it include Horbury, Ossett and Snow Hill retail park.
‘Help to Fight crime’
Inspector Mick Preston of Wakefield City and North West Neighbourhood Policing Team said:
‘Smart Water has been in use in Wakefield District over the last couple of years and this new deployment will protect shops in the Ossett, Snow Hill and Horbury area.
‘Each vial of Smart Water has a unique chemical code which means that items sprayed with it can be traced directly back to the incident in which it was deployed.
‘This means that if a thief steals an item that is sprayed with the solution. The Smart Water on their clothes and or skin can be directly linked to the incident in which it was deployed, proving they were present and involved.
‘This is a great scheme which will help to fight crime in the local area.’
Cllr Maureen Cummings, Chair of Community Safety Partnership said:
“I am very pleased the scheme is being extended to help the fight again crime by supporting more businesses in our district. All business deserves to trade without the risk of theft. Especially at this time when due to COVID-19, they already face so many additional pressures to provide goods and services that residents and communities rely on.”
Gary Higgins. Chief Operating Officer, Smart Water Technology said:
“Smart Water are delighted to be working in partnership with West Yorkshire Police and Wakefield Council again, following the success of the City Centre scheme.
“Our uniquely coded forensic solutions will be used to enhance security and deter criminality. Anyone committing a crime in the protected areas runs the risk of being forensically and categorically linked to the scene of their crime. Smart Water retains a 100% conviction rate in contested Court Cases”.