DeterTech has launched a weekly rental tariff for its anti-theft SmartSpray technology to make it more affordable for independent local shops. 

DeterTech head of security Gary Higgins told Better Retailing: “We’ve changed our business model on the spray system, and one of the reasons we’ve done that is for independent one-off shops. We’ve introduced a weekly rental system, where shops can have it for a month, or have it in for a year, or they can have it as a semi-permanent solution and pay a weekly rental,” he added. 

SmartSpray uses the trademarked product SmartWater, an invisible forensic liquid with a chemical code that is unique for every shop. The liquid is sprayed during break-ins, marking perpetrators’ clothing and skin indefinitely, allowing police to trace them with certainty back to the scene.  The technology has a 100% conviction rate in court cases in more than 30 years on the market. 

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DeterTech’s new tariff comes as the Met Police announced that a similar technology for marking commonly stolen stock was used to make 15 arrests in an operation targeting a shoplifting gang in south-west London. 

Higgins said the “essential part” of the system is the deterrent effect of its signage, saying: “There is independent research done which says that 74% of criminals won’t commit a crime where they see the SmartWater sign. The first line of defence for any of our customers is the signage telling people that SmartWater is present on the premises,” he added. 

The system can also be “quickly moved from store to store” for retailers with multiple sites. 

Installers consult with shop owners to position spray jets according to a shop’s particular crime risks. 

Higgins said: “It might be a small store where all the offenders are coming through the same door. The typical position to put it is above the entrance to the store. The target in the store may be an ATM, a cigarette kiosk or the alcohol aisle.” 

When asked about small shops’ potential reluctance about anti-crime technology, Higgins said the equipment was “the size of a lunchbox” and there was “nothing extra for the staff to do. Just set the alarm and it will sit there.” 

He said replacement of the liquid is free after break-ins, which DeterTech said encourages retailers to report all incidents to the police so the “true scale of retail crime can be nationally recognised”. 

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