THE smell of spray paint has led to the arrest and charging of vandals as police, councils and community groups trial graffiti sniffing technology.

Offenders are being caught in the act by a device called the Graffit-e-nose which detects the unique chemical signature of fumes emitted from spray cans and then sends a text message to property owners or police.

Caught out … the co-inventor of the Graffit-e-nose, Graham Bell, with his revolutionary device which senses graffiti as it is happening by detecting the smell of spray paint. Credit:Steven Siewert

The First Alcheringa Scout Hall in Miranda suffered frequent graffiti attacks before a Graffit-e-nose was installed two years ago, said the scout group committee's chairman, Scott Murray.

More than half of the group's yearly budget was being spent on paint, and volunteers were repainting the hall every week. The Graffit-e-nose had resulted in eight arrests and vandals now left the hall alone. ''It's been graffiti-free for over six months. You wouldn't believe it,'' he said.