POLICE have been handed a new device that will help them identify anti-social behaviour offenders.

The new device, which will come into force immediately, will support officers who are working across our dedicated operation dealing with anti-social behaviour on motorbikes, e-bikes and quadbikes.

SmartTag, a traceable forensic spray developed by SmartWater Group, allows officers to ‘tag’ an offender and their bike with a water-based marking solution.

The solution has a unique forensic code relating to the pressurised cannister it was sprayed from, which will help to link a suspect and vehicle to the scene of the offence.

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The spray will help officers to identify repeat offendersThe spray will help officers to identify repeat offenders (Image: GMP)
Superintendent John-Paul Ruffle from our Prevention Branch said: “We are continuing with our commitment to dealing with ASB riders across Greater Manchester, we have seen 10 arrests made in the first six weeks of this operation and 54 bikes seized in the process.

“Our work with the Smart Water Group has been ongoing and we are delighted to be able to get these cannister delivered and out in operation across the force immediately.

“This device will hopefully act as a deterrent to those participating in anti-social behaviour on motorbikes, e-bikes and quadbikes as they now know that they will be sprayed with a solution that will link them back to the scene of the crime.”

GMP have rolled out the spray to tackle the rising problem of off-road bikers and anti-social behaviourGMP have rolled out the spray to tackle the rising problem of off-road bikers and anti-social behaviour (Image: GMP)
Inspector Michael Crosthwaite from GMP's Wigan District added: “We have seized 19 bikes in our district alone during this operation with five positive arrests which are being progressed to prosecution.

“We will be putting up signs in areas around Wigan where we know off-road bikers will be, alerting them to SmartTag being in operation in that area, we would rather prevent ASB in its early stages than it be a reoccurring problem.

“That is our aim, we will mark these bikes and further down the line when we come across them, we can tag them to those previous incidents, take them forward to prosecution and to get the message across to the public that we are doing something about this issue.”