UV puts criminals under spotlight

The UV lights show up when offenders have been sprayed with dye

Ultraviolet (UV) lights which will help catch criminals who have been marked with forensic dye have been installed in Surrey police stations.

Detainees at Reigate, Woking, Staines and Guildford custody suites will have now to pass under the lights, which will reveal if any dye is present.

When activated, sprays cover offenders with dye invisible to the naked eye.

Surrey Police said dyes were increasingly being used by commercial organisations and in burglar alarms.

Trace premises

"These dyes can remain on a person's body or clothes for potentially months so these UV lights can trap offenders who may have thought they had got away with their crime," said Surrey crime reduction adviser Jamie Robinson.

The dyes, such as SmartWater, SelectaDNA and RedWeb, contain a unique "signature" which allows the property or premises they came from to be traced.

They are also available in liquid, gel and grease form to be used to mark domestic property such as electrical goods and jewellery.

Over the coming months, Surrey Police will be encouraging businesses and residents in burglary hotspots to use property-marking kits.