Telford MP says businesses must tackle crime together
We must tackle crime together – that is the message from Telford MP David Wright. He spoke out at the launch of Operation Citadel, an innovative scheme aimed at making one of the town’s industrial estates a “no go” area for criminals.
The initiative will eventually be rolled out across all of Telford’s industrial estates and further afield, said the MP.
He called on everyone to join together to make the scheme a success at its launch at the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce offices on Stafford Park attended by more than 40 businesses with police, fire and council officers also in attendance.
“Crime is falling but it can have a devastating effect on business. We need to work together to stop criminals coming into our area.”
Mr Wright praised RMP Guarding, a security business based on Stafford Park, for providing a car for Operation Citadel which will be used by police to patrol Stafford Park.
SmartWater was also heavily praised for donating £100,000 to give every Stafford Park firm a free anti-crime kit so that goods, if stolen, are traceable and the culprit in danger of being caught. SmartWater sprays intruders with a solution containing a unique forensic code linking the criminal with the crime scene and raising the chances of conviction.
SmartWater’s founder Phil Cleary, a former policeman, told business owners and managers at yesterday’s launch (Friday)that criminals “weren’t stupid” and that they would not touch property with SmartWater on it as it was traceable.
SmartWater stickers on windows and signs on the street deterred criminals, he said.
RMP Guarding’s Trevor Bate said he was overwhelmed with the support shown for Operation Citadel and hoped it was “the start of something to come.”
Organiser Mick Ebsworth, head of security at Capgemini, who is leading the anti business crime fight, said they wanted Stafford Park businesses to come together as a community and help run the scheme. Companies were urged to band together to create a secure business zone, share crime information and initiate crime prevention advice.
Neil Simmonds, of Simmonds Transport, and David Roberts, logistics supervisor at Hoshizaki, said they would be signing up for Ringmaster which informed companies of crime in their area giving them the opportunity to watch out for criminals and take action to deter them.
Favourites on the thieves shopping list include most metals, including catalyctic convertors at £1,000 each, drain covers and copper wiring, which all make a high price abroad, along with computers, laptops, engine parts, diesel and satnavs. Some firms are “re-visited” by criminals.
Over 12 months there were 88 offences committed on Stafford Park Industrial Estate in 2009/10 – with a total of 290 crimes on all of Telford’s nine industrial estates – down 120 from 2007/08 crime figures.
To receive the Ringmaster email, phone or text alerts of crime in your area visit www.twpcm.org or www.safer-shropshire.org
