More than 60 businesses in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, have joined a new security scheme that uses invisible liquid to track stolen goods and deter shoplifters. The Smart Water City campaign was launched at an event in Kings Square in late March 2026 to help protect local shops and restaurants.
Participating businesses receive a security pack worth over £250 which includes signs and a special forensic liquid produced by DeterTech. This clear liquid is used to mark items with a unique code that only shows up under ultraviolet light, allowing police to trace stolen property back to a specific shop.
The project is a joint effort between Gloucestershire Constabulary, Gloucester BID, and Gloucester City Safe. The marking liquid includes a strong adhesive that is hard to remove and stays effective for at least five years, which has helped police achieve a 100 per cent conviction rate in contested court cases.
Organisers are targeting 300 shops in the city centre to join the programme, which is funded by the Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner. The scheme was introduced following a 20 per cent rise in shoplifting across England and Wales, which reached a record high of more than 530,000 offences in the year ending March 2025.
Emily Gibbon from Gloucester BID said that shoplifting in the city is becoming a major problem and the technology will help authorities build cases against repeat offenders. Business owners, including those at Norville Opticians, have noted that theft has a significant impact on both their finances and the morale of their staff.
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