Businesses unite against crime
23rd June, 2010
A new crime-fighting initiative is being launched across the region to help combat crime on business parks throughout the area. The Durham Business Watch initiative will initially operate on business parks in Newton Aycliffe, Shildon, Sedgefield, Chilton, Ferryhill and Spennymoor areas.
The launch takes place today Wednesday, June 23 at the Xcel Conference Centre on Aycliffe Business Park, and will be attended by over 60 delegates.
The new initiative boasts a membership of 167 businesses who are linked to the scheme and those involved are confident that this will increase in the coming months. With most crimes committed by travelling criminals, this scheme will target suspects and offenders frequenting industrial sites to commit crime.
A new website and forum will allow members to efficiently communicate with each other as well as provide essential information on security, crime prevention and best practice. Police believe the dissemination of good intelligence is the key to both preventing and detecting crime.
The police have also recently invested over £20,000 to introduce a more efficient messaging system to support schemes such as 'Business Watch', now providing both a voicemail and email messaging service.
The initiative is the work of Neil Langthorne, the force's Community Liaison Officer and Mick Burnham Director of Operations for South Durham Engineering & Manufacturing Forum, who have worked together with partners from the business community and Safe Durham Partnership.
Business parks will also see the introduction of new high profile signs with the Durham Constabulary contact telephone number.
Durham's Deputy Chief Constable Michael Barton, who is launching the scheme, said: "Businesses on industrial parks share the same threat from criminals who frequent these areas and target premises, therefore, it makes sense to take a partnership approach to the problem. Through this initiative we will be supporting these businesses in their united front against criminals by making information sharing easier so they can work together to prevent their companies becoming victims of crime."
