85 Thame shops sign up to Shop Watch scheme

A Shop Watch scheme, which aims to reduce disorder and crime by improving communication between shops and the police, has been introduced in Thame – and already has 85 members.

These include all the independent retailers in Swan Walk, Thame.

Shop watch works by linking all its members to each other and the police through the Ringmaster system and any reports of crimes or suspicious activity can quickly be circulated to all the members.

The members are made up of town centre shops and businesses and all display a Shop Watch sticker in their windows.

PC Russell Hounslow, from the Thame neighbourhood policing team, said: “I am really pleased that so many shops in Thame have agreed to take part in the scheme and am looking forward to having greater communication with the staff in an attempt to combat shoplifting and deter any possible thieves.

“Out of the 85 members, we identify the top 10 to 15 premises that are most likely to be targets for shoplifting and ask them to start a ring-around system, so that all of the shops and businesses can be kept informed of suspicious behaviour and incidents that happen.

“We will be monitoring the Shop Watch system to ensure we are quickly on scene to arrest any thieves. Other shops in the scheme can also be prepared by being kept informed of what is happening around the town.”

Sector Inspector Martin Ford added: “In the run up to Christmas, incidents of shoplifting generally tend to increase and I would like to warn any thieves that we will not tolerate this and we will be working closely with shop staff to make Thame a safer place to be.”

PHOTO: The proprietors of Ricochet, Arts Desire and Thame Audio, in Swan Walk, Thame, who are among those Thame shops signed up for the Shop Watch scheme.