It was reported motorists should scratch their name on their property to assist the police in returning to owners any stolen property that they have recovered ("Stolen property", The Argus, April 19).

There is a better idea than that. Contact your local Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator and he will mark any - yes, any - of your property with a state-of-the-art "smart water" tracer.

This is an invisible marker visible only under an ultra-violet lamp which identifies your property by means of your postcode plus a prefix of your house number.

Just a single spot of "smart water" is all that is needed.

The police can now identify any piece of property that comes into their hands and return it to you if you have marked it.

There is another advantage. Having stopped a suspect with a car boot full of silverware, unless the police can find the owner they cannot prosecute the suspect if he maintains it is his property and it is untraceable.

With a "smart water" mark, the police will know exactly who owns it, you get it back and they can prosecute.

A "fence" will not want to buy any item with a "smart water" mark on it and nor will pawnbrokers.

-Doug Streeter, Saltdean Drive, Brighton