METAL THEFT: SmartWater aims to bring accountability to scrap theft

Dec 02, 2011 | 01:47 PM |

SmartWater Technologies is trying to bring accountability to the scrap industry in the UK, in a bid to curb rising thefts across the country through use of its risk management and crime prevention service. “The vast majority of scrap dealers are law-abiding; it’s the minority that are tarnishing the industry’s reputation,” a SmartWater spokesman told Metal Bulletin. SmartWater targets that minority of scrap dealers which handle stolen metal by accompanying the British Transport Police on regular raids to search for metal marked with its forensically coded liquid. “Unfortunately, there is an unscrupulous minority that hide behind the ‘I bought it in good faith’ mentality,” the spokesman said. “What we are trying to do is make them aware of the risk.” Scrap....