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Criminals have been warned they will have nowhere to hide when a crime-fighting radio link covering businesses in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter starts operating next week.
Shops in the area will be connected to each other and the police by a network of radios which will go live on Monday.
The system, which costs each member £300 a year, will help users warn each other about suspicious behaviour and the movements of known thieves in the area.
It will also be monitored by police, who will be able to send out messages as well as listen to other communications put out on the system.
So far, 20 retailers have signed up, with more expected to join over the festive period.
Pc Michele Birch, a member of the crime fighting team based at Vyse Street Police Station, said: "In the run-up to Christmas, the Jewellery Quarter attracts a large number of people, and, unfortunately, that also means thieves.
"These radios will enable retailers to alert one another to suspicious people and incidents. Police officers will also have a retail radio so that we can access and pass on information.
"It is not a replacement for the 999 system if something serious happens, but it will be a great help.
"Everybody will be looking out for each other, there will more eyes and ears out there looking for us. The more people on board the better."
Retailers will be given a photo album containing pictures of prolific thieves to help them identify suspects. The system can also be connected to other retailers in Birmingham city centre as well as pubs and clubs to provide blanket coverage.
Chris James, managing director of the Birmingham Retail Crime Initiative, said: "We welcome the Jewellery Quarter to our growing membership.
"There is no doubt the jewellers there will be in touch with ones in the city centre, and share information about suspicious activity.
"Street wardens will have the radios as well as car park attendants and staff from British Waterways.
"They will expand the network of people who care about the city centre and it will make it much harder for the criminals to operate and leave them with no hiding place."
The radio link is part of a large-scale operation to prevent crime in the Jewellery Quarter in the runup to Christmas.
The crackdown, code-named Operation Mayan, will feature high visibility patrols and regular visits by the CCTV van.
Gary Pallett, manager of J & M Jewellers, has joined the scheme.
He said: "Because of the rising crime levels we need to be aware of what is going on and be able to contact each other when we see persistent and known offenders.
"There is the occasional snatches of jewellery from shops and customers, but the ones we are really worried about are the armed robberies.
"In the past, a few of us used to phone each other, but now this will help us cover the whole area.
"If, for example, somebody sees a suspicious car, we can alert the other retailers to be on guard. The radios will be a massive help. Although this is an extra cost for our businesses we are doing it because we think it will help." |
