AN innovative scheme to retrieve stolen property and catch burglars is coming to Southend for the first time after a spate of thefts.

SmartWater, which is painted on valuables and shows up under ultraviolet light, will be available to residents in five streets in the Prittlewell ward from Sunday.

The high-tech solution for 500 homes is being donated for free by SmartWater.

Police say they have had “repeat problems” in the Prittlewell ward and in the last month have experienced higher levels of shed and garage burglaries, with most offences taking place overnight.

Latest figures suggest in the two weeks between January 13 to 26 there were just eight shed or garage break ins, but numbers jumped to 21 between January 27 to February 9, and 18 offences between February 10 and 23.

Three police officers and a PCSO will be knocking on doors for a week to hand out the solution to homes in St Marys Road, St Benets Road, Hill Road, Edith Road and Priory Crescent.

PC Phil Collie, who is leading the operation with the help of Neighbourhood Watch, said: “It’s a fact that Prittlewell, for whatever reason, has higher burglary rates than other areas in our neighbourhood policing area.

“We want to get the word out to suspects that we are using SmartWater so they should think twice about burgling a property.”

Every participating household will be issued with a uniquely-coded bottle of SmartWater solution. Once applied to valuables, the solution is almost impossible to remove, lasts for five years, and is only detectable under UV light.

It allows officers to identify stolen goods once checked under the light.

The unique code within the solution provides a forensic link back to the owner of the stolen goods and links the criminal with the crime scene.

Suspects arrested are also screened for traces of the fluid on their clothes and their body which would link them to a theft.

Residents will get a window sticker in their packs to deter burglars from raiding their homes, and posters will also be put up on streetlights to warn off raiders.

Speaking of the spate of thefts in the area, Chief Insp Simon Anslow said: “I suspect it’s groups of the same individuals responsible.

“It’s only a matter of time before we catch up with them, hopefully helped by people spotting them and calling us.”