More than fifty New Romney residents have been given the latest crime-detecting kits.

Smartwater is a unique forensic marking kit which leaves a code, invisible to the human eye, on any items marked. It can be used to mark valuable items as tiny as a diamond ring up to something as big as a JCB. If stolen, traces of Smartwater will be left indefinitely on the offender.

The kits usually cost more than £50 but as a result of funding from Shepway Community Safety Unit and Kent Police they were given out free with the added bonus of a lifetime registration for all marked items. This was part of an exciting initiative organised by Crime Reduction Officer, PC Di Leslie-Veal from Kent Police to make New Romney the first Smartwater town in South East Kent.

Permanent Smartwater signs have been placed in key locations throughout the town to warn that homes are marked and property is traceable. All Kent Police custody areas have now been fitted with the ability to check every person arrested for traces of Smartwater. This acts as a great deterrent to potential offenders.