UV Lamps - Advice and Information

The majority of thefts occur because, despite the best intentions, security at home or in the office is inadequate. With this in mind it is vital that practices be implemented to improve loss prevention and recovery. As items are easy to carry away in a purse, briefcase, or coat pocket, it is advisable to effect this loss prevention and recovery system through techniques such as the use of UV Lamps and pens.

UV property marking and counterfeit detection work by leaving an invisible identification mark that will be illuminated by UV lamps.

How Ultraviolet lamps and ink work

UV Lamps work due to the way that light works. Light is split along a scale called the 'light spectrum'. Visible, or normal light is in the middle of this scale and at the end of this spectrum are infrared light and x-rays. Ultraviolet light falls between visible light and x-rays. When subjected to the light of a UV lamp, many materials will naturally fluoresce, or glow. It is this phenomenon that is used to positively identify the markings of a UV pen while being invisible to the naked eye under normal light.

This practice significantly increases the chance of identifying stolen or counterfeit goods for recovery and potential prosecution. Special UV pens contain ink that will glow when exposed to the light of a UV Lamp while leaving a seemingly invisible mark on nearly any surface and will not spoil or damage property. Some of the materials you can place a mark on include plastics, wood, metal, cloth and glass

Ensuring that UV Lamps pick up your mark

Do remember that the UV marks can fade in time, especially when they are exposed to sunlight, and can be washed off easily so do renew the mark regularly, preferably every two years to ensure that a UV Lamp is always able to detect the mark if needed. If an item is cleaned regularly it is best to mark the item in a place which is not cleaned, for example the base of a porcelain ornament. It is best not to use a UV pen on the reverse side of canvas or paper as it will seep through. One common method of UV marking is to write the owner's postcode, then the house number or first two letters of the house name.

UV Lamps in use in Counterfeit Detection

As well as being used in checking for signs of marking by UV pens on recovered goods, police forces and finance companies and other organisations across the world use and endorse the use UV lamps to combat counterfeit detection. Through the use of UV flourescent inks in currency production, it is possible to print bank notes with a mark that is difficult to accurate reproduce with colour copying and printing techniques. In addition to this, techniques such as UV dull paper which will not glow when placed under UV light and in not sold in office supply stores, increase the chances of detecting counterfeit currency with UV Lamps.

Below are selection of UV Lamps that are available from Crime Prevention products.

Handheld UV Lamp - Price: £5.95 (ex. VAT)

Dual Checker Counterfeit Detection Lamp - Price: £36.55 (ex. VAT)

Wallet Property Marking Kit - Price: £17.01 (ex. VAT)

For our complete range of UV Lamps, UV pens and Bank Note Checking equipment, browse our property marking and counterfeit detection sections.