Traders urged to join CCTV link-up

11:58am Tuesday 8th January 2008

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TRADERS in Wellington have been urged to dip into their pockets to help cut out crime.

At Monday night's town council meeting, John Swayne, Wellington's police community support officer allocator, encouraged members of the town's Shopwatch scheme to link up to a crime-fighting CCTV project.

Mr Swayne said that currently, shops belonging to the Shopwatch collective of businesses can only radio each other if they see suspicious activity.

He said schemes similar to Shopwatch in other towns, like Taunton, have paid to connect to a central CCTV control room in Sedgemoor, so that when they radio in an incident, it can be spotted on camera.

Mr Swayne said: "I think it would help towards a safer shopping area. It would cost £7,500 as a one-off cost to link to Sedgemoor.

"There are 15 shops so that would be £500 each."

Tina Allen-Skinner, chairman of Shopwatch, said: "There are quite a few shops interested in the idea, and it's on the agenda for our meeting next Wednesday.

"I think it's a good idea to have that extra communication. It seems to have worked well in other towns."