Shopwatch success!

More than 100 shops have signed up to Shopwatch since it relaunched and businesses are working together to ensure the town centre is a safe place to visit.

The Shopwatch scheme sees businesses securely share information and any suspicious activity on radios and via WhatsApp to help stop shoplifters before they get the chance to steal.

As well as the radio and phone communication, posters have been put in business windows around the town to act as a deterrent.

The shops are working together in other ways - a young person caught setting fireworks off in a charity bin at Asda has recently been banned from all shops signed up to Darlington Shopwatch for six months, if he is not accompanied by an adult.

Amanda Riley, the council’s cabinet member for stronger communities, said: “I am delighted that so many businesses have signed up to Shopwatch in such a short time.

“There are posters in shop windows across the town which I am sure is acting as a deterrent to potential shoplifters who know they are being watched and information is being shared.

“I was also interested to hear how else the shops are working together to prevent anti-social behaviour which sends a powerful message that it will not be tolerated.”

Inspector Matt Plumb, from Darlington neighbourhood police team, said: “It’s great to see so many businesses signing up to Shopwatch and working together to share information and stop potential offenders in their tracks.

“Retail crime is far from being a victimless crime; it hurts businesses who must grapple with higher costs and lost stock, resulting in an increase in prices for us all.”

Joy Allen, Durham police and crime commissioner said, “I am thrilled with the response we have had to the relaunch of Shopwatch and that we have managed to get so many local retailers to sign up in a relatively short space of time.

“It’s great to have that buy in because we must all work together to make our towns safer. Working with retailers means we are able to collate information and action it accordingly to make sure our towns a safer place to work and live.”