DeterTech highlights how its SmartSpray technology uses forensic marking to deter retail crime, protect staff and provide court-proven evidence.
Retail crime is at its highest level on record, which is having a detrimental effect on businesses, staff, customers and communities.
Stores find themselves targeted over and again, in and out of hours, by repeat offenders who are increasingly likely to be aggressive, violent and most worryingly, armed.
The main technology making headlines right now is facial recognition.
But that comes with a major flaw; what happens when the perpetrator covers their face?
That’s where SmartWater forensic marking, used standalone or ideally in conjunction with other deterrent-based technologies, comes into its own.
Every bottle of SmartWater contains a unique code capable of linking individuals and stolen property back to the scene of their crime.
When deployed as part of a SmartSpray system, it coats offenders with irrefutable evidence that remains on their skin for weeks and their clothing for the lifetime of those items.
The SmartWater logo is widely feared by criminals as they know just one pin-sized drop in their hair, on their trainers or on the stolen goods is all that’s needed for them to get caught.
It’s why it’s a highly effective deterrent and why it still retains a 100% conviction rate in contested court cases after more than 25 years.
That makes it a proven part of crime prevention with its logo alone enough to scare off most criminals.
SmartSpray is available for rental or purchase on flexible terms and can be deployed as a standalone unit or integrated with existing alarm systems.
It can also be provided as part of a tailored bundle with other DeterTech products and solutions.
For example, DeterTech’s full range of monitored intruder detection technologies.
Forensic Force Lite is designed for small spaces and express shops, while Forensic Force Max is most suited to large areas and superstores.
Forensic Force Stealth rounds out the options and provides a covert option for specialist retailers with discreet security needs.
Importantly, SmartSpray can be triggered remotely in and out of store opening hours using a panic button or other trigger.
This ensures no staff member must confront the individual or put themselves in harm’s way before they can be marked.
Finally, DeterTech has committed to providing unlimited refills free of charge following any activation for which a crime number is supplied.
And to provide free analysis and expert testimony in court for any police force pursuing a conviction.
It is hoped this will further encourage retailers to report all incidents to the police so that the true scale of retail crime can be nationally recognised.
With SmartWater, police no longer have just minutes to locate and charge an offender.
Instead, they can catch offenders and connect them back to the scene of the crime weeks and months later, needing nothing more complicated than a UV torch.
For retailers already using facial recognition but requiring a solution for when offenders are covering their face, SmartSpray solves this problem.
For further information on the product visit: www.detertech.com
This article was originally published in the March edition of Security Journal UK. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.
