Capture bag ensures open and shut case
Thursday, 30 May, 2013
Bank notes marked with transferable SmartWater forensic solution.
A unique covert capture device created through teamwork between Nottinghamshire Police and SmartWater has thwarted a streak of thefts from a court building and led to a conviction.
A spate of cash thefts from the bags and purses of staff at Worksop Magistrates Court, in Nottinghamshire, led officers to believe they were the work of an insider but legal privilege put constraints on using traditional surveillance techniques.
With the use of cameras ruled out, town centre beat officer, PC Dan Cooper, put his head together with SmartWater consultant, Bjorn Campbell-Lyons, and between them they came up with a 'capture bag' concept.
Scientists and investigators at SmartWater Technology Ltd created a working model which was designed to remotely alert PC Cooper if the bag was tampered with and which contained a transferable version of the uniquely-coded SmartWater forensic solution. The solution was painted onto bank notes which, in the event of them being tampered with, would transfer traces of SmartWater onto the skin of the offender, acting as a forensic link back to the crime. SmartWater in invisible under natural light but fluoresces bright yellow under UV light.
Having put the capture bag in place at the court, the remote alert was triggered the same day, leading to the arrest and subsequent conviction of 50-year-old court usher, Karen Webb, who pleaded guilty to 18 counts of theft amounting to around £430 from other court staff. Webb has since received a four month jail term, suspended for 12 months.
West Bassetlaw Chief Inspector, Steve Cartwright, said: “PC Cooper and SmartWater consultant Bjorn Campbell-Lyons have worked really hard on this. Conventional surveillance techniques were disqualified because of the premises being a court building and issues relating to legal privilege; however, they came up with a technological answer to the problem, which worked fantastically and helped secure the evidence we required."
SmartWater Chief Executive, Phil Cleary, added: "This is an excellent example of how our investigators will work in close partnership with the police and other agencies to devise and carry out a covert operation. Finding and filling holes in the security landscape is something we've done with great success in recent years, with solutions for a number of industries, including heavy manufacturing, transport and the marine sector. Risk management as a discipline evolves constantly and we revel in working to stay ahead of that curve!"
