Auctions and Car Boot Sales Targeted in Search for Stolen Goods

PC Andy Bundy from Peterchurch Police Station showing Nigel Ward at Nigel Ward & Co Auctioneers in PPolice officers in Herefordshire are set to become a regular sight at auctions and car boot sales in the future, thanks to the purchase of a special high-powered ultra-violet (UV) lamp that can detect marks on property, made by UV pens or UV liquids such as SmartWater or RedWeb.

The lamp, which all officers in Herefordshire Division will have access to, shows up UV markings on property as a yellow light, indicating to the user that the property has been marked in some way and may be stolen.

Chief Inspector Sue Thomas, head of policing in the Hereford area, said, "Now that products like Smartwater are in common usage for marking property and much in demand with Neighbourhood Watch schemes, we needed a powerful and reliable device that we could use away from police stations at events like car boot sales and auctions to readily identify any property that has been so marked."

"Unlike many collectors and browsers who will be looking for that special unnoticed item that turns out to be worth a fortune, police officers will be scanning the lots looking for that special item that turns out to be nicked."

Nigel Ward of Nigel Ward & Co, auctioneers in Pontrilas, is pleased to see the police presence. "As a businessman, I have a responsibility to protect the reputation and integrity of my company and also ensure that my customers are not sold stolen goods," he said.

"Not only does the UV scanning by officers detect possible UV-marked stolen property but the customers can see at the same time that we take security seriously and have their best interests at heart. If anything is found that may be stolen, we can withdraw it from the sale before it is sold and lost from public view."

If you would like to know more about property marking products such as SmartWater, please contact your local policing team or the Herefordshire Crime Risk Manager, PC Charles Naylor, on 0300 333 3000.