Retailers adopt digital solution to shoplifting

Shopkeepers at 32 stores in the town centre will be given hand-held radios next week in a bid to present a united front against shoplifting and petty crime.

The walkie-talkies will allow stores in the 'shop watch' scheme to alert each other and the police in the event of known shoplifters entering the town centre, and help them respond to other incidents.

Local police and community support officers will also be equipped with sets to allow them to monitor the radio traffic and provide assistance where needed.

The initiative will extend the existing Beverley shop watch scheme, a partnership between retailers and Humberside Police.

The group meets regularly and bans known shoplifters from town centre shops.

Crime reduction officer, PC Richard Beeforth, said: "The radios will make a big difference to the effectiveness of the shop watch scheme. It will mean that shop staff and police will be quickly alerted when a known shop thief enters the town centre.

"By working together and supporting each other the offenders will soon get the message that they will not be tolerated here."

The radios will be presented to participating shops at Toll Gavel United Church on Thursday.

The sets are being jointly funded by the shops and East Riding Council Safe Communities, although the latter declined to say how much they cost.

Paula Wilson, assistant manager at Bon Marche ladies' shop in Toll Gavel, said she thought the scheme would be effective.

She said: "It's a way of keeping in communication with everyone, otherwise you don't always know what's going on.

"Crime is not really bad in Beverley but it will help against shoplifting."