SmartWater initiative rolling into every home in a village in Wakefield
A high-tech traceable liquid is going to be used to help crime prevention in one village in Wakefield
In Portobello households are receiving a bottle of the smart water, which helps trace people's possessions, the police are calling it the 'SmartWater Village'.
Under the scheme, which launched earlier this month, around 750 properties will be provided with SmartWater packs, including signage making it clear to thieves that products in all those homes are now protected by the solution and can be traced.
West Yorkshire Police said: "Protecting your home and possessions using marking solutions of this kind will reduce and disrupt the market for stolen goods through making them seem less attractive to criminals."
Inspector Paul Fraser, of Wakefield Central Neighbourhood Policing Team, said:
“SmartWater has been successfully used for crime detection in the Wakefield District for the last four years. This new initiative, however, aims to make residents feel safer and be safer through protecting their property and possessions.
“Thanks to the backing and funding of the Safer Together - Wakefield Community Safety Partnership, the ‘SmartWater village’ concept aims to reduce burglary, robbery, and theft in the area.
“If we can prevent crime in the first place, we can save members of the community the distress that comes with being a victim of crime. Also, by reducing crime rates, the cost of home and car insurance can fall significantly.
“We hope this work sends a strong message to potential criminals, that as always, we are taking burglary extremely seriously and you will get caught.
“I hope that this is the start of seeing forensic marking being used in every home across the Wakefield district.”