Ecclesiastical teams up with forensic security company r to protect insured churches from metal thieves
Ecclesiastical has teamed up with forensic security company SmartWater to protect the Anglican churches it insures from metal thieves.
Ecclesiastical said the insurance will extend to more than 16,500 churches.
SmartWater is a non-hazardous liquid which contains a DNA-style forensic code. Each church will receive its own unique SmartWater code meaning marked items can be irrefutably traced back to the owner, and criminals coming into contact with SmartWater can be linked with the crime scene. The solution is invisible under normal light, but glows brightly under UV light making it easily identifiable by the police.
Ecclesiastical said it will help churches to use SmartWater in different ways, including marking large sections of lead roofs and other metals, individual items of property and in spray systems set up to catch metal thieves as part of co-ordinated covert operations with the police service.
A free sample of SmartWater will be sent to every Anglican church in the country that Ecclesiastical insures.
Ecclesiastical said that in 2007 alone it has s received more than 1,800 claims at a cost of nearly £5.8m for the theft of mainly lead from church roofs, as well as other items from within the churches. .
Sheffield, Nottingham and Manchester are the hardest-hit areas of the country, suffering more than 400 claims between them in 2007.
Ecclesiastical’s managing director for UK and Ireland, Steve Wood, said: “The theft of metals from churches has gone on long enough. We’re planning to put a stop to it once and for all with a high-tech security measure proven to get results. Churches are important community buildings and beautiful heritage buildings. We simply can’t stand by while they’re attacked in this way. But with SmartWater in use, any thief considering stealing metals from a church in the near future should think twice.”
CEO of SmartWater, Phil Cleary, said: “We are pleased that Ecclesiastical has decided to deploy SmartWater as a deterrent to further metal thefts. SmartWater is currently used, in a variety of forms, by 95% of UK police forces. The use of SmartWater has to date resulted in over 400 convictions and in many of these instances the cases have not even gone to trial owing to the indisputable nature of the evidence.”
Sgt Richard Jewell from Northants Police, said: “We are fully equipped to scan for SmartWater and are actively checking detainees for traces of the solution when they pass through police custody areas. If an offender comes into contact with SmartWater we will find them and we will arrest them.”
