SmartWater deployed to deter thefts from parking machines

The Isle of Wight Council (IWC) in the UK has deployed crime-busting SmartWater traps, following a spate of thefts and vandalism from its 140 ageing Parkeon DG-Series Pay & Display (P&D) machines in the last year.
February 1, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

The 2047 Isle of Wight Council (IWC) in the UK has deployed crime-busting SmartWater traps, following a spate of thefts and vandalism from its 140 ageing 251 Parkeon DG-Series Pay & Display (P&D) machines in the last year.

Developed by UK-company 245 SmartWater Technology, the traps spray a uniquely coded substance on anyone who illegally tampers with the machines. The harmless substance remains on the person for months and shows up under UV light, thereby matching the suspect to the crime scene. 

A sticker on each machine warns any would-be thief or vandal that SmartWater has been deployed by the Council, which is the first local authority in the UK to protect P&D terminals using the technology.

"Hopefully, the sticker itself will deter thefts but if someone does, nevertheless, attempt to remove the parking meter or get into the cash box, they should be prepared to be sprayed with SmartWater," said Cllr Barry Abraham, IWC cabinet member with responsibility for community safety.

The traps have been deployed in an initiative involving agencies from the IW Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP), including the Council and police, along with SmartWater and Parkeon.  Both companies spent time on research and development to create a bespoke trap for the Island’s P&D machines.

“The DG-Series machines were widely recognised as the most secure on the market when they were installed in 1995.  However, our latest machines are even more secure, thanks to the efforts of Parkeon’s dedicated, full-time security team”, explained Bob Barnes, Parkeon’s UK Parking Director in welcoming this initiative.  “We are constantly re-evaluating the challenges that we face from the criminal fraternity and our objective is to be ahead of it at all times.”

Chief Inspector Mark Bell from Hampshire Constabulary stated, "SmartWater can forensically link the culprit to the offence and we welcome the use of the technology to prevent crimes and to help the police to catch and convict any further offenders."

Parking & Access Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • McCain wraps up graffiti protection
    July 22, 2015
    US transportation systems specialist McCain is to partner with TrafficWrapz to enhance its traffic cabinet offerings. Under the agreement, McCain will represent the TrafficWrapz patent-pending line of anti-graffiti and chemical-resistant protection that turn intersection cabinets into custom pieces of art. Many civic improvement projects are spoilt by graffiti and the high costs of its removal. Unlike paint that may fade and need to be reapplied after a few years, TrafficWrapz technology offers communiti
    Read More
  • Parifex shows automated enforcement of multiple road traffic offences with Nomad
    April 16, 2024
    Parifex is a globally recognised pioneer in the design and manufacture of fixed and mobile speed cameras based on 3D Lidar technology. A good example is Nomad, one of its systems being showcased here.
    Read More
  • Looking for the next generation of smart city innovators
    July 24, 2015
    With the aim of fostering innovation and developing the next generation of technology talent, GE Lighting has become the founding sponsor of a unique new urban regeneration initiative, the Intelligent Community Challenge. Centred on a design competition, the initiative aims to crowd source new perspectives and fresh ideas on key urban challenges such as public safety, crime, social inclusion, traffic and pollution, by uniting local councils, communities and university students to develop intelligent and inn
    Read More
  • Plate matching technology more accurate than conventional OCR
    February 3, 2012
    EngiNe srl's patented Plate Matching technique is something of a paradox, in that it achieves formal vehicle identification without recognising, in the accepted sense, the characters on its number plate. Here, Angelo Dionisi of ENG Group explains how it works
    Read More

Highlighted Content