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The Mark of a Thief: SmartWater Technology |
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by Michael T. Coates
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One of the more difficult tasks conducted by law enforcement is theft recovery and burglar identification. Traditional policing methods involve time-consuming investigations that rarely result in recovery of a missing item or identification and arrest of perpetrators. If a burglary is not reported immediately after the crime has occurred, the likelihood of successful outcome is doubtful. Law enforcement generally must rely on eyewitness accounts and trace evidence, such as fingerprints, hairs, and fibers to link a criminal to a crime scene. Many times, these resources are unavailable for various reasons and the investigation is compromised. In the past, alarm and camera systems have been used as a deterrent to theft and burglary. Although this technology has proved useful, criminals are aware of its presence and modify their behavior or appearance to avoid detection. As criminals are becoming smarter and increasingly finding ways around the current anti-theft technology, law enforcement and the public are finding new ways to thwart the ill intentions of criminals. Chemistry is providing a new asset to law enforcement in the form of a luminescent liquid solution.
In response to problems with current technology in property protection, a new tool called SmartWater has been developed. Centering on forensic coding systems and property marking, SmartWater uses a liquid solution that has two purposes: 1) identifies items with a unique coding system, and 2) sprays potential thieves with a unique substance that allows authorities to identify suspects when subjected to UV (ultra violet) light. The security system allows police and other officials to correctly connect stolen property with the original owner and effectively identify suspects that have been sprayed with the UV-luminescent material. |
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Technology 
