First residents' proposal · 2 November 2026 meeting

Forensic property marking: a proven, low‑cost way to protect the affected areas

The first residents' proposal, discussed at the community meeting on 2 November 2026. Status: being looked into. Nothing has been submitted to the council or police yet.

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residents support this proposal

One tap per person. Nothing about you is stored.

£15,800
indicative, for 1,000 homes, kits plus street signs
£13
per kit at the bulk police price, lifetime registration

What the proposal would ask for

  1. Agreement in principle from the council and the PCC to jointly fund the scheme.
  2. A named council officer and a named TVP officer to lead it, launching before the end of November.
  3. 1,000 household kits and deterrent street signage, distributed through temples, gurdwaras, mosques and community groups, victims and older residents first.
  4. TVP to scan gold offered at second‑hand and gold‑buying outlets in Reading, Wokingham and Slough.

How it works

An invisible liquid with a unique code is dabbed inside bangles and behind clasps. It glows under UV and is registered to the household. Window stickers and street signs tell burglars the area is marked, gold buyers scan for it, and a marked item ties a suspect to a victim in court.

Where it has worked

Crawley, 201360+ burglaries of Asian homes, then zero in the six months after Sussex Police issued kits.
Windsor & Maidenhead, 2021Neighbouring council and TVP kitted out 1,000 homes in one week.
Henley, TVP, 2008 onwardNo repeat burglaries among kit‑holders two years on.
Thames Valley PCC, 2026Already runs free marking events with the supplier. The contract and budget line exist.

Fair caveat: an Essex study found marking alone had no significant effect. It works as a package with signage, buyer scanning and active investigation, which is what this proposes.

Who pays

Police & Crime Commissioner, 50%£7,900
Wokingham Borough Council, 35%£5,530
Community organisations, 15%£2,370

All figures are indicative. Kit prices come from published Surrey and Staffordshire purchases; signage, leaflets, events and the funding split are residents' estimates, not supplier quotes, and will be confirmed with the supplier and funders.

This proposal supports the residents' petition (1,200+ signatures), which asks for patrols, CCTV, trauma support and tougher sentencing. Sign or read the petition →

Open the full proposal (PDF, 8 pages)

This is a residents' proposal that is still being looked into. It has not been submitted to, or adopted by, the council or police. To show support in the meantime, tap the button above, or write to your ward councillor (find yours on the Wokingham Borough Council website) and mention the 2 November community meeting. Contact: burglar.watch.wokingham@gmail.com.