Shipley town centre officials are aiming to strike a balance between protecting traders and avoiding turning the town into a "fortress" after a series of attacks on shops.

Town centre manager Bob Parker met with West Yorkshire Police's crime prevention unit and one of the directors of the Gift Tree, which was raided on Tuesday, to discuss security at the gift shop.

And Mr Parker also discussed with the police various measures to prevent thieves preying on the town's businesses. There have been four raids on Shipley businesses in the past three weeks - three of which have been classed as ramraids.

Suggestions included metal shutters on the shop windows and anti-ramraid bollards in the town centre.

Mr Parker said: "None of us are keen to see shutters and to go up that road might create the appearance of a fortress town.

"Unfortunately protecting ourselves from criminals can end up being detrimental to the town, but we are concerned about these crimes, which are serious. The Gift Tree has had to spend £11,000 over four years after burglaries and at the end of the day businesses can't sustain these type of losses."

Traders were being asked to review security at their properties to deter criminals.

"It is the council's policy not to immediately rush in and put bollards in where there have been ram raids," he said."This is a very difficult issue. There are thousands of businesses across the district that can say they are vulnerable, and we don't want to set a precedent. There have been four instances involving three businesses, and we have to look at protecting traders but also the town as a whole.

"The problem is these people, if they are determined to do this sort of crime, will find a way. We have to tighten up our security to make it as difficult for them as possible."

He added that there was extensive CCTV coverage of the town and that the police were being pro-active about the issues in Shipley.

The Gift Tree, in Market Square, was raided after thieves threw a rock through the front window.

It was the latest incident in a series of burglaries at the shop since it moved to the premises four years ago.

Two weeks before one of the oldest traders in Shipley, menswear shop Henry Smith's was ramraided two nights in a row. During the same week ramraiders smashed their way into the Bradford & Bingley bank in Market Square, in a foiled attempt to get at the cash machine.

PC Lew MacKenzie, the crime reduction officer for the Keighley division, said: "We are working with the Council and traders to look at a whole range of crime prevention measures to reduce the likelihood of there being further offences of this nature.

"Investigations are ongoing into these offences and anyone with information is asked to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."