In Nottinghamshire, Neigbourhood Policing Teams sprayed a forensic liquid on the lead flashing and copper pipes of houses in hot spot areas of the city and county. SmartWater is invisible to the naked eye but detectible under ultraviolet light, cannot be washed off and includes a unique code registered to the owner of the property it is protecting.
Chief Inspector Sean Anderson, Force and region lead for metal theft reduction, said: “Currently, 48 per cent of all reported metal thefts are from people’s homes, and 45pc of thieves steal lead from buildings. We were having a major problem with the theft of lead from church buildings, but through partnership work, including the provision of SmartWater and replacement materials, we have managed to deter thieves from targeting these buildings.
“These morally-bereft thieves, however, now appear to have set their sights on residential properties, tearing at lead flashing from around windows and ripping out copper pipes.
“They have little care that their actions leave homeowners picking up the bill for the subsequent water damage and repair or, at worst, falling ill thanks to the damp and lack of heating.
“By protecting metal on houses throughout Nottinghamshire with SmartWater we are not only protecting the occupants who live there, but also ensuring that thieves are no longer able to sell on their illicit wares thanks to its distinctive yellow ‘glow’.”
As the police work to prevent metal theft they are also proactively targeting the perpetrators. On Tuesday, March 6, a suspected metal thief was apprehended in Worksop.
The 23-year-old local man was arrested in connection with the theft of lead flashing from the windows of a house in Clarence Road between 12 and 18 February 2012. He was later released with no further action.
Chief Inspector Anderson said: “Bassetlaw is currently the worst hit area for metal theft in Nottinghamshire, with 399 offences marking a 2.6pc rise on the same period last year.
“It is a predominantly rural district and located very near to the border, which means criminals are targeting isolated buildings, especially sheds and garages, for tools, gardening equipment and bicycles, and using the main arterial routes to hop over the border and subsequently sell on the goods.
“This is why regular liaison and a coordinated approach with police, government agencies and industry across the East Midlands is integral to our success in stamping out this type of crime.“
At SmartWater in Shropshire Dave Reynolds said the forensic liquid is already being used by more than 30,000 churches and heritage buildings nationwide to protect against lead theft.
He added: “Regular checks for SmartWater on metal are taking place at scrap yards across Nottinghamshire. More and more scrap metal dealers are equipping themselves with UV torches to search for it and are refusing to handle metal marked with it.
“This is making it increasingly difficult for thieves to successfully sell on stolen goods.”
