Officers from Northumbria Police’s crime prevention team have devised a new scheme which will see SmartWater security fitted on catalytic converters.

The forensic liquid, which can withstand heat of up to 600 degrees, can be applied to car parts and each batch has a unique code which allows it to be traced back to the owner.

A string of garages have already signed up to the scheme and police hope the solution will help technicians and scrapyard dealers identify stolen parts.

Linda Nelson, from the Designing Out Crime team said: “Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise nationally, and in our force area they are up 84 per cent in the last year.

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“The good news is that these thefts are completely preventable and there are a number of ways you can make sure your car stays safe – from keeping it locked and secure to fitting it with tracking devices.

“SmartWater is just another tool in our armour which helps us fight theft.

“SmartWater is an incredibly effective way of preventing theft.

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“As a brand it carries the deterrent – not just the phrase forensic marking.

“Most thieves will avoid taking something which can be easily identified as stolen, therefore implicating them as having committed an offence.”

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