Smart Way To Protect The District's War Memorials 

South Bucks District Council has signed up to a new national partnership designed to locate, log and protect thousands of war memorials across the UK.

Part of the ‘In Memoriam 2014’ scheme sees the War Memorials Trust and the SmartWater Foundation working with partners and using cutting-edge forensic technology to protect memorials.

The nation’s estimated 100,000 war memorials are under increasing threat from thieves and vandals attempting to steal metal. Despite the metal having relatively little monetary value it is estimated that on average one war memorial a week is being targeted by thieves looking to illegally remove bronze, copper or other metals to sell on for scrap.

South Bucks District Council’s Community Safety Team is currently in the process of locating, recording and protecting all war memorials in the District using SmartWater, assigning them with a state-of-the-art forensic signature that can only be seen under UV light. Once applied, SmartWater is virtually impossible to remove and can withstand burning, sand blasting and long term exposure to the elements.

South Bucks District Councillor Anita Cranmer, Portfolio Holder for Community, says, “In Memoriam 2014, is a very special project to protect war memorials in communities across the UK. If a thief comes into contact with SmartWater they will be inadvertently spreading forensic evidence onto their clothes and any tools they are using. This can be used by police to link them directly to the crime scene.”

For further information on the scheme, please contact South Bucks District councils Community Safety Team on 01895 837200.