Cookstown Business Watch sign-up marked

Business Watch is an initiative that aims to increase the awareness of local businesses and their employees to retail crime.

Inspector Gerry McGrath, the Cookstown Area Commander, said: "Retail crime costs businesses, both large and small, several hundred million pounds - effectively making the shopping experience more expensive for everyone, except of course, the criminals.

"When a person is detected committing an offence, the value of the stolen property may be small, but its associated costs are far in excess of the amount. If you consider how much it costs the retailer to deal with the offender, how much time and resources it costs the police to make inquiries, including compiling reports for the Public Prosecution Service and how much it costs the court system to the bring the person to justice you can see just how much it is actually costing honest decent citizens of Cookstown.

"A let's also not forget the psychological trauma that he or she may have caused the shop floor staff with their antics and ask yourself, 'Is it not better to prevent a crime than detect it after it has been committed?'.

"Many crimes are committed because an opportunity presents itself to an offender with very little intervention taking place. It follows that the best way to reduce crime is to take away the opportunity for crime to occur. This does not necessarily mean placing yourself in any danger. It could quite simply be asking the person, 'Can I help you,' or 'How would you like to pay for that?'.

"Being vibrant and proactive makes your shop less attractive to the thief, it also helps secure your long-term employment and can mean that new jobs are created purely because the public like to visit shops that are known to be safe, crime-free and friendly.

"It really is a vicious circle, but by being vigilant and knowing how to deter a thief, you can play your part and quite simply prevent the crime from happening in the first place."

Speaking on the setting up of the 1,000th Business Watch Scheme, Councillor John McNamee said: "I am delighted that so many businesses are taking up the offer to join Business Watch to avail of the free text alert and retail crime prevention advice for traders."

He continued: "There are still those within our community who continue to be a scourge and menace on society by committing acts of theft and burglary against local businesses. Business Watch we hope will continue to work towards reducing this crime against out traders."