A dozen retailers are joining forces to drive out the thieves and make Holbeach a better place for people to work and shop.
Holbeach Shopwatch is officially launched today – the culmination of an effort to recruit businesses willing to share information about shoplifters and other troublemakers.
The system – which will see traders stay in touch via Shopwatch radios – will go live in September to coincide with the changeover of South Holland’s CCTV system to a 24/7 monitoring station in Boston.
It is hoped the Holbeach system will mirror the success of Spalding’s Shopwatch which has gone from strength to strength in the past 12 months since it was taken over by former Spalding police inspector Stuart Brotherton.
He said: “Like everywhere Holbeach has its fair share of problems like shoplifting so when I was approached by Sgt Gareth Boxall we set about getting the support of shops.
“A dozen have now signed up, which is a fantastic start.
“We expect the radios will go live in September and will enable shops to take part in a joined up approach to tackling thieves by sharing information.”
The cost to shops wanting to take part can be as little as £3 a week, depending on number of employees – a cost which Stuart believes is a small price to pay to crack down on shoplifters, thieves and fraudsters who cost the UK economy around £750million a year.
The cost means the scheme can be self-funding.
He said: “There is a problem with shoplifting everywhere, but fortunately it is not as bad here as it is in some places.
“Saying that there are thieves who operate it as a career and we have to show them a united front and that we will not tolerate them.
“It needs to be a joined up approach from traders, the Chamber of Commerce, council and police to tackle the problem and Shopwatch is part of that arsenal which is having an impact.
“Working together we can make these people who think they can get away with stealing from shops think twice.”
Today’s launch at Tesco’s in Holbeach will be attended by South Holland and Lincolnshire county councillor Nick Worth and representatives of Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce.
Spalding Shopwatch currently has more than 30 members, mainly made up of retail premises but also including a pub and an accountancy firm.
Newest recruits include the British Heart Foundation charity shop and Spalding Water Taxi.
Stuart added: “There are presently 36 people banned from shops as a result of our zero tolerance.
“Shopwatch is growing and the only way it can work is if it has someone driving it and people involved who know what they want to achieve and why they are doing it.”
