Coded water fights big rise in copper theft

The theft of copper has increased dramatically since worldwide demand for the metal has escalated. Said to be related to unprecedented demand from the developing industrial nations, the price of copper cabling has surged and this is said by some to be responsible for the slow down in CCTV industry growth.

In the UK, copper cabling and piping – even copper statues – have been targeted by scrap metal thieves. Electricity substations, void properties and even the London Underground have been hit. On the LU thieves stole cabling used for rail signalling, causing serious delay for thousands of commuters.

Now the SmartWater solution is being used by electricity suppliers CE Electric UK to protect substations and other premises.

The company delivers electricity to 3.7 million homes across the north east, Yorkshire and north Lincolnshire where intruders have smashed doors, taken down fencing and even removed bricks from walls to steal copper from substation sites. They have left sites open and exposed potentially fatal high voltage equipment.

Copper cabling is now being coated with SmartWater which contains a unique forensic code that provides batch identification – similar to DNA profiling.

The company says UK police are actively searching for it, greatly increasing the chances of detection and arrest.

Police in south Yorkshire have been covertly using SmartWater as part of an operation to catch professional gangs targeting copper piping and cylinders from empty property.

Following checks on scrap metal dealers, cylinders were subsequently identified as stolen and gang members were apprehended.

SmartWater CEO, Phil Cleary, said the technology was "acting as a powerful warning to the criminal fraternity. Thieves and burglars are increasingly becoming aware that if they target SmartWater-protected property they will be caught."

In another application, Woolworths stores in Billericay and Wickford are the latest branches to have been fitted with SmartWater. In the event of a break-in the intruder will be sprayed with the solution which has a unique chemical code and will remain on the skin and hair for weeks. It is invisible to the human eye but glows under ultraviolet light.

Michael Carpenter, risk manager, said "We feel this will make people think twice before breaking into a Woolies store".