Islington Council's Mayor, Jyoti Vaja, launched a new shopwatch scheme today (5 December 2006) in Finsbury Park's well-known shopping precinct, Fontill Road. Under the scheme, 25 shops in Fontill Road have been given Alert Boxes. Described as an electronic neighbourhood watch, the boxes allow businesses to send messages to each other if they suspect shop lifters or gangs are operating in their shop. Other traders who have the boxes can contact the business that sent the message to get descriptions of the suspects.
Cllr Marisha Ray, Executive Member for Community Safety, said: "We welcome this new initiative and are delighted that businesses have the opportunity to both protect their stock and feel safer by using the new Alert Boxes."
Mr Paul Gale, British Transport Police Officer working for FinFuture Safer Town Centres, said: "What I particularly like about Alert Boxes is that they encourage traders to work together to help to eradicate crime. Many of the issues on Fontill Road are the same for each shop, now there is the facility through modern technology and communication to tackle these problems and make the road a better and safer place to live, work and shop. I want to thank Islington Council for its support with this initiative."
Finsbury Park Ward Safer Neighbourhood Team, Sergeant Chris Walsh who supports the scheme, said: "It's great to see partnership working resulting in such tangible support for the shops. This is a fantastic innovation and we will monitor it's use closely, perhaps looking to expand it as part of Neighbourhood Watch Schemes."
This scheme has been called Shop Watch and is a FinFuture Safer Town Centres initiative. More Alert Boxes will be given to traders in Finsbury Park when the scheme expands.
Despina Johnson CEO of FinFuture, said: "Shop Watch is an immensely significant initiative for Finsbury Park, we are starting to work more closely with businesses and responding to their concerns about crime. This is a great step forward in making businesses feel more in control and confident about being in the area."
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Page Last Updated: 29 July 2008