The introduction of a radio communications system to aid local shopkeepers in the fight against crime has proven to be an invaluable asset in many towns and cities throughout the UK. When shopkeepers have an instant and effective means of alerting each other and the Police to convicted and potential shoplifters, suddenly crime ceases to be rewarding for those involved. Even cheque and credit card fraud become less inviting in a town where local shops can inform each other of a suspect transaction.
Leek Shopwatch was taken over by The Communications Company in December 2002. A new Motorola Eurobase was installed with a UHF 4 stack antenna. All the users were issued with Motorola professional range of Motorola GP340s.
24 shops in Leek benefit from the system, co-ordinated by WPC Sarah Wilkinson and Chris Brown on their own Shopwatch radios. Leek Shopwatch is also monitored by Leek Police Station using a Motorola GM349 local base ensuring immediate response to any urgent calls and the latest Photofit files of known convicted local offenders are distributed to all shops on the scheme.
Leek Town Centre Co-ordinator Mike Cozens has said, "At the moment there are 24 retailers engaged in the scheme and I have been encouraging the town to develop it further. It's an important scheme to have in terms of crime and deterrent and it does work and has had many successes in aiding the arrest of shoplifters". See blog, "Shopwatch score a major success".
In any industry Radio Communications are vital to the efficiency of an operation. It doesn't matter if you are running a local town event, or helping to organise and run an Olympic ceremony. When you only have seconds to communicate a decision a good communication infrastructure is vital.
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