Paving stones across Leeds are to be sprayed with a forensic traceable liquid following a rise in the number of stones being stolen.
The liquid will give each paving stone a unique forensic code so that police can check if they belong to the council and where in the city they were taken from.
Cllr Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for regeneration, transport and planning, said: ‘The number of public paving stones that we have had to replace due to thefts in our communities has unfortunately risen in recent years.
‘It was for this reason that we decided to investigate what options might be available to us to not only act as a deterrent and help reduce this crime, but also at the same time assist the police in arresting any perpetrators.’
The council will be working in partnership with crime-prevention company SmartWater, which has helped the successful conviction of hundreds of criminals in other local authority areas.
