Tibberton residents have joined a group of households working to reduce burglaries in the area.

Adopting the SmartWater scheme, villagers have partnered with the Wychavon District Council and West Mercia Police to deter thieves and burglars from the area.

More than 70 per cent of households signed up, making Tibberton the 29th SmartWater Village in the district.

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The water company's system uses a colourless liquid that can be applied to the surfaces of belongings and valuables, leaving a unique code.

This code, undetectable to the naked eye and near impossible to remove, can only be viewed under ultraviolet light.

Connected to a national database, stolen items can be traced back to their rightful owners, increasing the chances of criminals being caught and convicted.

Each participating household receives a kit, containing enough of the liquid to mark up to 75 items.

The parish council and PCC John Campion fundraised for these kits, with Wychavon's community safety team assisting in promoting the scheme to residents.

Signs have been placed throughout the village publicising its status as a SmartWater village.

Furthermore, participating households have been given window stickers.

This initiative is part of the police’s ‘We don’t buy crime’ campaign aiming at discouraging acquisitive crime – burglary, theft, robbery, and shoplifting.

Cllr Rob Adams, executive board member for stronger communities, culture and sport at Wychavon, said: "Congratulations to Tibberton on joining Wychavon’s SmartWater army.

"Anything we can do to help protect people’s property and make life more difficult for criminals is a good thing.

"I’d encourage other areas to explore this opportunity to make Wychavon an even safe place to live, work, and visit."

Robbie Hazlehurst, chair of Tibberton Parish Council, said: "The fact the parish is so close to the motorway makes it quite easy for people out of the area to access the village and commit crime.

"We wanted to do something to make it as difficult as possible for them to do that and the SmartWater scheme has been well received by residents who were eager to sign up."

Wychavon has encouraged other parishes to consider introducing the SmartWater system.