Metal theft costs Nottingham council £1,000 a week
Theft of metal bins and manhole covers in Nottingham is costing the city council almost £1,000 a week.
The authority has started a campaign to cut the amount of money spent replacing the items, which will include spraying them with an indelible ink.
About 200 manhole covers and 25 bins have been stolen in Nottingham since January at a cost of £50,000.
Scrap dealers will be given UV lights to check metal to ensure it is not stolen.
The council bins and other street furniture will be protected with SmartWater, which will help police link criminals to the stolen property.
Signs have been placed across the city to warn potential thieves that metal in Nottingham is now marked, the city council said.
Peter Moyes, director of the city's Crime and Drugs Partnership, said: "The removal of items such as park benches means that facilities cannot be used by citizens until they are replaced, and this is at considerable cost to the public purse."