EVERY suspected crook who is arrested and taken to Basildon Police Station will now be scanned for an invisible crime-cracking substance which could link them to other offences.

As well as being finger-printed, all suspects taken into police custody will also be tested for Smartwater liquid as the police station now has a special ultraviolet light machine, which can detect traces of the substance.

In the summer, Basildon police began rolling out their Smartwater initiative by printing warnings about their use of the liquid on about 10,000 prescription bags in the borough.

Hundreds of bottles of Smartwater were also handed out to residents in Lee Chapel, Laindon, in May, as part of a countywide pilot to crackdown on burglaries.

The substance, which is painted on to valuables, has a special DNAtype print which links property to a certain address via a database.

It is widely used in supermarkets, shops, private businesses and homes across the country. If a burglar comes into contact with the substance during a break-in, it will leave a lasting mark which can only be detected under a special UV light.