A NEW drive to stamp out crime in retail premises has this month been launched in Tavistock, in a joint initiative between shopkeepers and the police. Shopwatch is being run by West Devon?s crime prevention officer PC Angie Frost, with help from the town?s chamber of commerce. If the pilot scheme proves successful, it may be extended to other towns and areas within the borough. PC Frost said: ?There used to be a Shopwatch scheme running in Tavistock but it folded for one reason or another, and I decided to take it over, with the help of the chamber. ?We?ve got 54 shops signed up for it already ? and new people will be able to join each quarter.? Every retailer in the scheme will receive a Shopwatch Pack which includes a sign to be displayed in the shopkeeper?s window, a thumbprinting pack, a list of retailers in the scheme, plus details of how to use the cascade early warning system, a quarterly newsletter and other crime prevention products and information available from the police. PC Frost said: ?The cascade system basically means there is a first point of contact to call, so anyone who wants to activate the system calls them. ?Everyone within the system only has one number to call ? it could be used if there is a shoplifter operating in the area, or an incident of anti-social behaviour, but it means the information gets passed on quickly.? PC Frost said the thumbprinting pack was used in an attempt to deter instances of card or cheque fraud. It involves customers voluntarily giving a thumbprint when buying goods by credit or cheque card. ?Originally, it was a Plymouth initiative. Although we don?t have much of a problem in West Devon we have initiated it because we don?t want any displacement of criminal activity to here. ?Retailers will have signs on their doors and near the till, so we hope criminals won?t even go in in the first place. ?Some will use the thumbprint as a matter of course, others might use it indiscriminately. ?The shopkeepers keep the information themselves. It only comes to the police if a crime is actually committed,? said PC Frost. The quarterly newsletter will keep Shopwatch retailers informed of crimes which have been committed particular to their areas of town, such as shoplifting, criminal damage or incidents of anti-social behaviour. There will also be crime prevention advice and updates from the police ? and PC Frost said the sharing of advice would be two-way. ?I?ve already had people coming up to me with ideas of their own, which is great,? she said. ?It?s something that will develop as we go along and we will make changes to suit the retailers. ?When we have it fine-tuned we will be spreading out into other areas of West Devon.? PC Frost said West Devon had a very low rate of crime but retailers should not be complacent. She hoped the Shopwatch scheme would reinforce the message to criminals that West Devon was not a place to visit and commit crime. The first Shopwatch newsletter is due to be published at the end of January. In the meantime, if any retailer in Tavistock who has not already joined the scheme and would like to find out more, they should call PC Angie Frost on 01837 658457 or e-mail angela.frost@ devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk
