After a run of thefts on their parking meters, the Isle of Wight Council has deployed a new technology designed to deter and assist with the apprehension of would-be vandals.
The technology sprays a uniquely coded substance on anyone who illegally tampers with the machines. The harmless substance remains on the person for months and shows up under UV light, thereby matching the suspect to the crime scene. A sticker on the machine warns the potential vandal of the technology, informing them of how the technology can forensically link the culprit to the offence.
This technology has previously been used in the banking industry, and would have useful application for parking meters and automatic pay stations in the parking industry. PCI thinks that installation of such technology could have been an alternative to the locked boxes now used around Balmoral Beach – but wonders if the perpetrator needs to be in a nightclub to be successfully identified?