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Rally
against attacks on elderly BBC
News online, October 1, 2003About 200 people have
marched through Belfast city centre to protest against a series of attacks
on elderly people.
Police
say the chances of an elderly person being the victim of burglary are
small, but fear of crime remains a concern. Statistics
show that 421 homes of people over the age of 65 were broken into between
April and July. SDLP
councillor Rosaleen Hughes appealed to Chief Constable Hugh Orde to take
further measures. "I
know the police are very sparse on the ground, and maybe they don't have
enough resources, but I think they should really be doing more," she
said. Meanwhile,
the police have introduced a high-tech scheme designed to help them track
down thieves and stolen goods. SmartWater
is a clear liquid with a combination of chemicals which can be traced. The
water has a unique forensic fingerprint that can be detected by using an
ultra
It
is being given to people in more than 500 households, who will be
encouraged to mark their property with the liquid. The
water, which is not harmful, has microscopic particles laced through it. Each
one of them has a nine-digit number, which leaves a mark as individually
identifiable as a fingerprint. Burglars
would be able to be identified for months afterwards, as the liquid cannot
be washed off. "In five months since they started the initiative,
there has been a 60% reduction in burglary - that's a phenomenal
result." PSNI
crime prevention officer Philip McCullough said any property marked with
the liquid would be easily identifiable by police. "We
will easily be able to convict persons if the property is unlawfully in
their possession," he said.
Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging |
Speakers
at the rally on Wednesday called on the police, government and community
groups to do more to protect the more vulnerable members of society. 
violet
light.