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The introduction of a radio communications system to aid local shopkeepers in the fight against crime has been an invaluable asset in many towns across the country. When shopkeepers have an instant and effective means of alerting each other and the Police to convicted and potential shoplifters, suddenly crime does not pay. Even cheque and credit card fraud become less inviting in a town where local shops can inform each other of a suspect transaction.
Leek Shopwatch was taken over by The Communications Company in December 2002. A new Motorola Eurobase was installed with a UHF 4 stack antenna. All the users were issued with Motorola professional range of Motorola GP340s.
Currently 24 shops in Leek benefit from the system which is co-ordinated by WPC Sarah Wilkinson and Chris Brown on their own Shopwatch radios. Leek Shopwatch is also monitored by Leek Police Station using a Motorola GM349 local base ensuring immediate response to any urgent calls and the latest Photofit files of known convicted local offenders are distributed to all shops on the scheme.
Leek Town Centre Co-ordinator Mike Cozens has said, “At the moment there are 24 retailers engaged in the scheme and I have been encouraging the town to develop it further. It’s an important scheme to have in terms of crime and deterrent and it does work and has had many successes in aiding the arrest of shoplifters”. See blog, “Shopwatch score a major success”.
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