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Amwell Street traders. ‘We don’t hold out much hope of anyone being caught,’ said one |
Georgian street ready to put up shutters as thieves strike
Traders plan Neighbourhood Watch scheme after charity boxes are taken
A SERIES of break-ins at shops in a Clerkenwell street, including the theft of charity boxes, has forced traders to consider introducing tighter security.
Heavy shutters – until now shunned because they would ruin the look of listed shop frontages in Georgian Amwell Street – and close-circuit television are being considered.
In some cases, traders believe they know who may be responsible for smashing glass windows and trashing shops. But without specific evidence police are unable to act.
Police are encouraging shopkeepers to form a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, with street signs and stickers and an appointed network of “observers” to deter criminals.
Russ Davies, who has had his shop, WC & K King the chemists, for 24 years, has suggested CCTV.
“I’m not a great fan of CCTV but I was burgled twice last week and I’ve had enough,” he said. “Visible cameras in the street covering the shops seem to make sense to me.”
Last Wednesday night thieves kicked in the glass door of Mr Davies’s shop and stole what little cash was around. No sooner was the door repaired than on Friday night thieves returned, smashed in the door and made off with a charity box.
Mr Davies added: “We’d never considered introducing shutters before. I always felt it was an extreme measure that didn’t fit in with the friendly neighbourhood scene. But shopkeepers around here are starting to introduce them rapidly.
“In the past six weeks, the wine shop, dry cleaners and one other shop have all been broken into. The police have sent in detectives who have taken fingerprints. But we don’t hold out much hope of anyone being caught for these break-ins.”
However, Dale Barter, who runs a veterinary practice, opposes the use of CCTV cameras. “I really don’t think it prevents any sort of crime,” he said. “You just end up with a whole pile of photographs of kids wearing hoods.
“The photos are never good enough and it doesn’t really deter the criminal.”
After he was burgled three times in a year he fitted shutters at his premises. “They also stole our charity boxes for Blue Cross and the Guide Dogs for the Blind,” he said. “We installed alarms which kept going off and in the end the police stopped coming out.”
Because of the street’s conservation status, shutters have to fit inside shop windows.
“There are no easy answers to break-ins,” Mr Barter said. “They are often opportunistic and usually involve kids. The trouble is if they happen at 2am there is going to be no one around.”
Police have advised traders to form a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.
“Under the scheme you also get personal shop alarms,” Mr Barter said.
“So, for example, if our receptionist has a problem she can sound the alarm and get help.”
He plans to hold a meeting for traders and residents to sound out Neighbourhood Watch ideas. |
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