Police in Bootle have handed out more than 350 SmartWater kits to people in a bid to tackle burglaries in the area, it has been reported, something which could have an impact on home insurance costs.

Residents in the Bulwer and Chaucer Streets and Strand Road are said to have benefited from the scheme, which is a joint initiative between the Merseyside police and Riverside Housing, the Bootle Times claims.

Homeowners mark their possessions with SmartWater, which is an invisible ink that is only visible under ultraviolet light. The ink comes with a unique code which is recorded on a database and if a burglar strikes the item can be traced back to its original owner, the news provider reports.

Chris Blackhurst, anti-social behaviour officer at Riverside Housing, told the newspaper residents must take advantage of the product in order to combat thieves.

"SmartWater has proven results that deter criminals but this won't happen unless people use it," he said.

Homeowners in the area who make use of the substance could benefit from cheaper home insurance, as it may result in fewer burglaries which in turn may see fewer claims made on policies.

According to the Metropolitan police, since SmartWater was introduced in Sutton in 2003, there has been a 31 per cent reduction in the number of break-ins.

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