A shopping mall in the heart of the commercial centre of Seine-Saint-Denis has become one of the first locations in France to use cutting-edge British security technology to protect jewellers and points of entry.
Five jewellery stores, as well as a dozen doors and main entrances points within the Rosny 2 shopping mall have now been fitted with SmartWater forensic spray systems in an attempt to deter criminal activity. The move to increase security follows two robberies that have occurred since the beginning of 2011.
The most recent attack, which took place in November 2011, involved two men carrying out an armed robbery against Didier Guerin jewellers, stealing jewellery and watches. The two thieves held up the store at gun point and made their escape on a scooter. Fortunately no one was injured during the terrifying encounter.
Rosny 2, which is one of the first sites in France to use the British technology, is implementing SmartWater alongside other security measures that are already in place within the mail. Christophe Roszak, Director of Unibail-network Rodamco, which manages Rosny 2, said: "We have a security team of seventeen people, more than 200 CCTV cameras and an agreement with the police headquarters that allows us to work closely with the police. The SmartWater is a supplement to ensure maximum security to merchants and customers."
Any thief sprayed with SmartWater can be irrefutably linked with the scene of the crime. The unique liquid, which is significantly more robust than DNA, will remain on skin, hair and clothing, meaning the crooks will carry around evidence of their crime wherever they go. "Unfortunately for the crooks, the product does not wash off" quips the director of network Unibail-Rodamco. SmartWater is almost invisible in natural light, but glows bright yellow under UV (ultra-violet) light making it easy for the police to detect.
The method has been validated by the CNIL (Commission Nationale Informatique and freedoms) and the Department of the Interior. Following the deployment of SmartWater within the Seine-Saint-Denis centre, the use of the technology could potentially be extended to many other stores across France.