Radio link scheme and 'Shopwatch' to help tackle crime in Biggleswade town centre

A scheme to crackdown on shoplifting is being extended to Biggleswade, along with creating a Shopwatch scheme, a meeting heard.

Significant reductions in crimes, such as shoplifting and alcohol-related disorder, are being targeted, according to a letter to the town council from Central Bedfordshire Council’s safer communities and partnership team.

CBC’s radio link system is being brought to the town as part of efforts with the Biggleswade community policing team to reduce shoplifting.

The initiative encourages and enables businesses to work together to fight crime, explained the letter. “The police support the scheme and have radios linked to it monitored by the operators at CBC’s CCTV control room.

“Information can be relayed to the Bedfordshire Police force control room in Kempston and support called for if needed. The radio link is often seen as a lifeline to get back up in difficult situations, particularly if staff numbers are limited in a shop or pub.

“Users can talk to each other to warn of suspicious activity in the area and to stop potential offenders from entering premises to prevent crime and disorder. For the next stage, we’re trying to form a Shopwatch and are actively promoting this with retailers.”

BTC’s community development manager Ian Campbell told its town centre management committee: “There’s concern about the amount of shoplifting, not just on the retail park. It’s coming into the town,” he warned.

“A problem is this covers Bedfordshire and our CCTV is contracted into a Hertfordshire scheme, so we’re unsure about the compatibility of that. Nobody has told us what it might cost or whether it’s feasible to plug into that network.

“On Shopwatch, we might offer to host one of their meetings in the near future at precious little cost to us.”

Town councillor Jonathan Woodhead, who chairs the committee, said: “This is an important programme to set up. There’s been a rise in shoplifting in the past year or two in the town centre and elsewhere.

“It could be a way of getting together traders at the retail park, the Saxon Centre, Mead End and the smaller shopping parks, as well as the town centre, which would helpful reach as wide a range of businesses and shopkeepers as possible.”

Town councillor Duncan Strachan suggested it would help gather information about shops and traders in the town because no formal organisation currently represents them.

“We could take the opportunity to find out who’s there and find out how we can support each other,” he added.

“Everyone’s concerned about the future of the town centre and this seems a way to open talks on an informal basis.”

Deputy mayor Mark Knight added: “There’s a successful Pubwatch running locally. The police attendance is sporadic.

“It makes sense that cameras we pay for are linked in, which could be just having a radio in Stevenage. It should be technically possible. You want Thorn Turn and Stevenage to both get that message.”