Town's CCTV credited with helping cut shoplifting

Atherstone town councillors say the CCTV system has played a huge part in reducing shoplifting

A town's CCTV system has been credited with cutting shoplifting by 43%.

The rate of shoplifting in Atherstone was four times higher than Warwickshire's average in the summer of 2023.

Town councillor Chris Jones attributed the reduction to better co-ordination between the town's shop radio system and a police app.

He said the current CCTV control room, with its giant monitor screens, was "like something from Nasa".

Fellow councillor Jackie Chambers said the number of shoppers had increased "because they feel safer and secure" coming into the town.

She said shoplifting had been "causing a real problem" to some businesses, costing them thousands of pounds.

"It was a very serious issue and we knew that we had to tackle it," she added.

The current CCTV system, which comprises a network of 28 cameras, has been in place for the past three years.

However, Jones believes the real breakthrough has come from an increased use of the radio system shared by shops in the town and the use of a police-supplied phone app, which alerts traders to known shoplifters.