Water pistols used in fight against crime (From Oxford Mail)

Water pistols used in fight against crime

7:00am Tuesday 31st January 2012 in Wantage By Ben Wilkinson

Firefighters have used water pistols to “mark” a Wantage church in the fight against lead theft.

A crew used ladders and a hydraulic platform on Saturday to squirt a colourless liquid over the lead on the roof of the SS Peter and Paul church.

The Smartwater dye can be detected by ultra-violet light and is used by police to identify stolen property.

Lead theft has soared across the county in recent months.

Ch Insp Ian Money, deputy area commander for Thames Valley Police, said: “These offences are despicable, especially where churches have been targeted.

“Church congregations often have to do fundraising to carry out renovations to buildings and it isn’t fair that this money and effort is used to repair the damage caused by thieves.”

He added: “Smartwater is easily detected and provides the police with the evidence needed to prove theft and handling stolen goods offences.”

The Wantage church was targeted by thieves a year ago when a small amount of lead on the porch roof was pinched.

Parish priest Father John Salter said: “It is a mark of desperation in the times we live.”

But he said the Smartwater marking was now essential to validate the Church Street building’s insurance.

The church is the first in the county to use the technology with the help of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Crime prevention and reduction advisor Alison Smith said: “This church has a significant amount of lead on the roof and porches and has previously had lead stolen from the building.

“We are running a project across the South and Vale, where churches buy their own Smartwater at a discount and we help to put it on for them.”

Lead theft has been such a problem that in October last year churchgoers started sleeping at St Nicholas Orthodox Church in Marston after thieves targeted the building on two consecutive nights.