Villagers near Wigan are putting SmartWater to work on their homes and belongings even though they live in a low-crime area – because they want it to stay that way.
Police are providing SmartWater marking kits to residents of the village of Dalton due to its powers as a deterrent to criminals.
Around 300 homes are receiving the kits, which have been funded by the Lancashire Partnership Against Crime. Volunteers have been visiting individual properties to hand them out and advise residents on applying the special forensic liquid to their valuables, electrical items and other belongings.
Each batch of SmartWater contains a unique code that identifies the legitimate owner of any item that is marked with it. The liquid is colourless when applied but shows up under ultraviolet lights which many of the UK's police forces now use routinely.
Sergeant Steve Hackney, of Wigan Police, said: “Not only does SmartWater help us to return items to owners in the event of a theft but there is a big deterrent factor as it makes would-be burglars think twice.
“Dalton is a rural village and crime is low but, due to the location, it can be a target for cross-border crime.
“This is part of our dedication to ensuring that crime remains low. We hope that the introduction of SmartWater will ultimately prevent burglaries and theft.”
As well as the SmartWater liquid itself, residents will receive window stickers for their homes and warning stickers to place on marked property.