Police security-marking metal pipes

THE tactic is normally used to catch burglars who target valuable items such as televisions, computers and jewellery – but police in Yorkshire are to begin security-marking pipes and central heating installations because of the surge in metal thefts.
By Rob Preece Crime Correspondent
Published 17th Feb 2012, 10:23 BST

Pipework at homes in Knottingley, near Wakefield, will be marked with a colourless liquid that contains a unique forensic code only visible under ultra-violet light.

Police routinely check suspects for the “SmartWater” liquid, as it can stay on their skin or clothes if they have tried to steal a security-marked item.

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The scheme, involving West Yorkshire Police and Wakefield and District Housing (WDH), comes less than a year after six homes in Castleford were damaged in a gas explosion caused by copper cable thieves.

Officers will visit homes to mark metal items and hand out labels that can be displayed in windows to try to deter criminals.

Sergeant Dan Tillett, of Pontefract and Knottingley neighbourhood policing team, said: “We are pleased to work with WDH to ensure that people’s homes are as safe and secure as possible.

“We are working hard to prevent metal theft and cut off the networks that help thieves get rid of their ill-gotten gains.”

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Police held a meeting with metal traders in Wakefield last December and introduced “Metal Watch”, a programme to give them daily support and information about thefts.

West Yorkshire Fire Service’s assistant district manager for Wakefield, Paul England, said: “Metal theft is a serious problem for us as a fire and rescue service as it can cause a great deal of damage to property and even risk lives.

“You only have to look back at the huge explosion in Castleford last summer in which homes were destroyed following a gas leak which was caused by metal theft.

“Our fire prevention officers are currently being trained to use SmartWater and, when they carry out home fire safety checks, they will be in a position to use SmartWater to security mark items which would be of interest to opportunistic thieves.

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“We fully support this scheme and will continue to work with partners in a bid to get to grips with the worrying, and often dangerous, problem of metal theft in a bid to make West Yorkshire safer.”

Police estimate metal theft is costing the UK economy £1bn a year, with gangs targeting churches, roads, schools and even garden furniture.

Yorkshire churches have been forced to make insurance claims totalling £6m since 2007, while the region’s councils have spent more than £2.3m repairing buildings and replacing grate covers.