A crime prevention initiative which involved coating Metro equipment with an invisible forensic coding system to deter thieves has scooped a prestigious award from senior figures within the UK’s light rail sector.
SmartWater, which is being used on Metro to crackdown on cable theft, won Innovation of the Year at the 2009 Light Rail Awards in London.
The judges were impressed by SmartWater’s ability to provide Metro police with robust forensic evidence to prove where stolen metal has come from, thus enabling them to prosecute offenders.
SmartWater is a colourless chemical solution, which carries its own forensic signature, similar to DNA, and has been used to protect 58 kilometres of Metro track, which is owned and managed by Nexus.
The solution is virtually impossible to remove and is invisible to the naked eye but fluoresces under ultraviolet (UV) light. The forensic signature it contains can be used by the police to link property to its owners and criminals to the crime scene.
Metro was the first rail operator in the North East to use SmartWater technology. It is increasingly being used by the railway industry to prevent metal theft, which is costly and causes major service disruption for passengers.
Metro Director, Mick Carbro, said: “We had ho hesitation in using SmartWater to protect Metro property from theft. The award shows what a positive impact this technology has had in terms of crime prevention in the railway industry.
“Train operators across the country have been targeted by cable thieves. At Metro we are determined to do all we can to prevent this sort of theft and stay one step ahead of thieves who risk their own lives to steal our equipment.”
SmartWater Chief Executive, Phil Cleary, said: “We are delighted to receive both the award and the recognition from the railway industry that SmartWater is considered to be such an important breakthrough. We will continue to work closely with the police, railway networks and metal receivers to put pressure on criminals who target metals.”
In the last three years the Metro infrastructure has been targeted by cable thieves on 17 separate occasions. In the 2005/06 there were five incidents of cable theft. In 2007/08 there were ten incidents. In the financial year to date there have been two incidents.
The Metro system in Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside is policed by Northumbria Police. The Sunderland line, Pelaw to South Hylton is covered by the British Transport Police.
SmartWater’s forensic products are successfully being used across the UK to tackle all sorts of crimes including burglary, metal theft, robbery, theft of plant machinery and vehicle crime.
The technology can be used across a wide range of public and private sectors, including warehouses, retail outlets, schools, churches, hospitals and defence establishments.
SmartWater clients include British Airways, Allianz, Anglian Water, Beaverbrooks, Boodles, Comet, Ecclesiastical Insurance, Morrisons, Mulberry, Scottish Power, Somerfield, United Utilities and Waitrose – and many many more.
The SmartWater Deterrent:
- The Police are actively looking for SmartWater and this message is being reinforced to the criminal fraternity by both SmartWater and Police Forces across the country.
- Criminals know that SmartWater increases their chances of arrest and prosecution. Research shows that 91 percent awareness amongst criminals.
- SmartWater is a forensic product so criminals find it difficult to defend against it.