UV technology has, for many years, been a useful and legitimate technique for crime solving. UV pens are regularly given out by the police for homeowners to invisibly mark their valuables so that, in the case of a theft, an item’s original address can hopefully be proven. However UV ink is prone to rubbing off or fading over time, therefore requiring semi-regular reapplication. With this in mind, one company has gone above and beyond this idea to invent a highly resilient new UV technology – Smart Water.
Smart Water is a UK company and was invented by former West Midlands Police officer Phil Cleary and his Chartered Chemist brother, Mike Cleary. It works through the use of highly specialized chemistry to provide a powerful and longstanding deterrent against criminals. Once Smart Water comes into contact with clothes or skin, a unique (invisible) chemical code within the water will rub off onto them which will link the thief to a specific address. If the suspect is arrested, Smart Water can prove their criminal activity. The company works through a subscription service, whereby you purchase a bottle of Smart Water which you then register to your address. Each bottle has a unique chemical code so that no two bottles are the same. You can then choose whatever you want to mark with the Smart Water, which is completely invisible, and know that in the event of a burglary, and if your belongings eventually fall into the hands of the police, Smart Water will link your items not only to your address, but to the thief as well.
The company boast a 100% conviction rate in court, due to its ability to withstand all weather indefinitely, as well as its ability to stay on skin for many weeks. For businesses they even offer a ‘Forensic Spray System’ which, upon intrusion, will spray the burglar with Smart Water, marking their skin and clothing. If a suspected thief is checked under a UV light they will appear to be covered in UV freckles, giving conclusive evidence that they have been involved in a specific crime. Smart Water possess a very impressive track record and demonstrate how new technologies are providing increasingly reliable anti-theft devices. As use and reputation of this water spreads, the company now claim that even displaying a Smart Water sticker on your property can deter burglars. Only time will tell how the criminal world will combat Smart Water, but for now this exciting development maintains that 100% conviction rate.