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Business Watch Scheme outlined at trade meeting

Wednesday, 3 February 2010

Representatives constable Paul Wilson (PSNI Neighbourhood Watch), Hazel Irvine (Business Watch Scheme), Paul McCready (Town Development manager), Annette McGahan (Community Safety Coordinator), constable Jamie Law (Neighbourhood Watch)

SPECIAL REPORT: By BEULAH-ANNE WALLACE
BUSINESSES in the Dungannon borough are being encouraged to get on board a new Business Watch Scheme in a bid to reduce retail crime throughout Mid-Ulster.
And it is hoped the scheme could also be used to help locate missing persons and alert businesses on matters of security.
Traders and businesses throughout the Dungannon and South Tyrone borough were invited to a special information meeting at Ranfurly House recently during which presentations were made by representatives from the Scheme and members of the PSNI.
The scheme, which was pioneered in Enniskillen, encourages local businesses to sign up to a free information service. When an alert is raised by one business about a suspicious activity, it is quickly communicated to Police and around other traders via phone, email or text message.
The scheme, which was developed by the Northern Ireland Office and is part-funded by the Police, also encourages local businesses to take an active role in reporting crime and taking crime prevention measures.
Speaking at the meeting, Crime Prevention Officer Constable Paul Wilson offered practical tips on how to deal with shoplifters and information on traders' rights.
He said retail crime trends across the UK was up in 2009 by a third, however two thirds of those incidents went unreported. He added that businesses lost £1.8bn to retail crime.
The Business Watch Scheme, a variation of Neighbourhood Watch, will use a system called "Ringmaster" to send out alerts to businesses. All alerts have to be approved by Police first.
Co-ordinator Hazel Irvine explained that while the system would be used primarily to alert businesses to crimesuch as shoplifting and counterfit money. She said it could also be used to alert businesses to threats of incendiary devices and even to help locate missing persons, including children who may go missing in a shop or store.
She said: "Ringmaster is used by the Police to get information out to the public through forms like text messages, e-mails and telephone - whichever method suits the business in particular.
“Sometimes staff are not allowed phones on the shop floor so some choose to be alerted by e-mail. It is then the manager's responsibility to get the information out to all their staff."
Ms Irvine explained that the system had been up and running in Enniskillen, a town bolstered by cross-border trade, for two years and had successfully been used to identify groups of shoplifters as well as locate missing persons.
Concern was expressed by traders that all the examples mentioned in Enniskillen had also involved the use of CCTV.
Ms Irvine added that it was easy to become "too reliant" on CCTV and stressed that "people-power" was also very important.
Other issues such as the need for a more visible policing presence in the town centre were also raised at the meeting
Cllr Walter Cuddy, DRP Chairman said: "The meeting was an opportunity for town centre traders to come together and get helpful and practical advice from the Police on how to deal with shop theft.
“Shops are trading in challenging economic times and small retailers are often left counting the direct cost in terms of the theft of stock or equipment, which impacts on trading and performance.
“It is important that crime is reported to the Police and that businesses work together to tackle this issue."
Paul McCreedy, Town Development Manager said: "Retail crime has surged during the recession and must be taken seriously because it has a huge detrimental effect on our local shops and services.
“Data from retailers indicates two thirds of customer thefts are not reported, which is a worrying statistic. We are encouraging local businesses to report crime and to work together with the Police to tackle commercial crime in the town centre."
The Ringmaster system is FREE to join and local businesses should contact Hazel Irvine, Co-ordinator on 028 6772 4888 for an information pack and registration form.

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