Protecting shoppers and shops by cutting crime is the aim of Shopwatch, a two-pronged initiative to make the retail area at the Angel safer for everyone. Run in partnership by Islington Council, Angel Islington Town Centre Management Group and Islington Police, Shopwatch members have a direct radio link to the police and to each other via the scheme’s ARCAngel radios. If they are robbed, attacked, the victim of credit card fraud or see someone shoplifting they can call for help immediately or warn other local shops through the inter-store radio links. The borough’s new community police officers who have been assigned to the Angel area carry one of the radios at all times and will respond instantly. They will also be carrying a pager whose number is known only to Shopwatch members in case of emergency. And the scheme’s new ‘buddy’ system means the nearest shops will also come to help if there’s a problem. Shopwatch currently has 52 shops signed up. “Working with the council and the police has made shops, particularly smaller retailers, feel safer that help is at hand," says Matthew Crawford who owns furniture store After Noah and a member of ATCMG. "The photographs of known and convicted shoplifters given to us by the police at Shopwatch meetings are very helpful in alerting us to trouble before it starts - smaller shops with maybe only one or two staff working feel a lot safer." Shopwatch is also about forging better links amongst the community of retailers around the Angel so they can deal with crime in a more focused way and get to know their local police, crime wardens and council officers better. Regular meetings offer access to police photos of convicted and suspected local shoplifters, Shopwatch members can discuss retail crime issues and safety with the police and discuss cleaning up the area with the council’s environmental teams. Now they are working together to get an accurate picture of exactly how much retail crime is going on in the area, and who’s doing it, so they can develop a realistic and effective response. Shop owners are encouraged to give police every single bit of information they can, every time someone steals from them, attacks a member of staff, commits vandalism or is seen acting suspiciously. “Local residents have told us that tackling crime and making the borough safer are two of their major concerns and Shopwatch addresses both,” says Cllr Bridget Fox, Islington’s Executive Member for Sustainability. “Shopwatch has already fostered a great community spirit amongst retailers in the area. We are all looking to make it a better, cleaner and safer place for people to visit.” ends Notes to editors ARCAngel Radios (Against Retail Crime in the Angel) – personal radios for inter-store connections have been used in a number of town centres for several years and proved a useful tool in reducing crime and protecting shop staff from assault. Shopwatch – more information from Angel Islington Town Centre Manager Christine Lovett on 020 7288 4377 Angel Islington Town Centre Management – is a not for profit company set up in 2001 to maintain and improve the Angel as a retail and hospitality centre. The board of directors reflects the diversity of businesses in the area and is dedicated to making the Angel brighter, cleaner and safer, creating more jobs, encouraging inward investment, and attracting more people. More details from www.angeltowncentre.com
Page Last Updated: 29 July 2008