Light-fingered thieves who take a shine to our most valuable possessions could soon find themselves under the spotlight with nowhere to hide.

The rollout of SmartWater in homes and businesses in Thanet spells deep trouble for burglars, who can now be caught several weeks after a break in.

The liquid, which is either applied to belongings or sprayed over intruders from a special sprinkler unit, cannot be removed from clothing and is difficult to scrub off skin or hair.

It is invisible to the naked eye but glows clearly under ultraviolet lights.

Each bottle of SmartWater has an unique chemical code that allows police to link a suspect directly to a crime scene. The solution has a 100 per cent conviction rate across the UK.

Insp Kevin Dyer said: "The criminal fraternity know what SmartWater is and the consequences of being caught after being sprayed with it or carrying stolen items marked by it."

A 27-year-old Broadstairs man has already fallen victim to the new technology.

Louis Sheehan, of Prospect Place, was sentenced to three years in prison by a judge at Canterbury Crown Court on Monday, after stealing nearly £8,000 worth of computer games and mobile phones from the Woolworths store in Deal in August this year.

SmartWater was found on his footwear, linking him directly to the crime.