Police in Edinburgh are issuing more members of the public with a special property-marking kit as part of an ongoing initiative with SmartWater Technology Ltd.
In February this year, 600 residential properties in the Grange and Greenbank areas of the city were issued with home security packs to help safeguard their belongings.
Each kit contained a uniquely coded bottle of SmartWater solution, which is brushed on to the homeowner’s possessions.
In addition, high-visibility signage was put in place within the participating streets to alert criminals that SmartWater is being utilised in the households around that area.
As a result, domestic housebreaking in both locations fell by around 53 per cent in comparison to the previous six months.
Now, 800 kits will be provided to homeowners in and around the Duddingston area, as Police Scotland works in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council Community Safety team to roll the strategy out further within the Capital.
Chief Inspector Mark Rennie, Local Area Commander for Edinburgh East said: “The results of the pilot within the Grange and Greenbank were incredibly encouraging and we hope to see similar results following the extension of this initiative with SmartWater Technology Ltd in Duddingston.
“Our local ward plan and consultation tells us that housebreaking is a crime that most people in the area are worried about. Local officers will today begin visiting homes to provide residents with the property-marking kits and to put up signage warning housebreakers that the product is in use within the area.
“Our local ward plan consultation over the last 2 years has made it clear that Housebreaking is a crime that most people in the area are worried about. The expansion of this scheme demonstrates Police Scotland’s commitment to using all resources at our disposal to prevent local people being the victim of this extremely impactive crime”.
Community Safety Leader for the City of Edinburgh Council, Councillor Cammy Day, said: “We all have the right to feel safe and secure in our own homes, and the roll out of Smartwater to the Duddingston area of the city is extremely welcome. This initiative will help to deter would be housebreakers from burgling people’s homes, as their property will be forensically marked with a traceable liquid, only identifiable to that individual’s personal possessions.
“Police Scotland and Council staff will be out delivering packs to more than 800 homes in the area in the coming weeks.
“More than 91% of people living in Edinburgh feel safe after dark which is partly due to excellent initiatives like this, which show the Council, Police Scotland and residents working in partnership to create safer communities.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
