THE violence of the street robberies that have occurred in Otley over recent weeks has clearly shocked the community.

And, the use of a video camera to deter and detect crime in and around the town is not a cure for all evils, but it is a response to the problems that are now occurring all too often.

The violence we have seen in recent weeks in this series of muggings or robberies is a new phenomenon in the town and certainly one that everyone of a decent mind would want to see stamped out.

For anyone who would question the value of crime cameras, the question must be asked whether a criminal would so readily commit crime if they thought there was a radically greater chance of being seen, identified and caught.

The overwhelming answer to this must be that the deterrent factor and the additional aid in detecting the crime makes these cameras a very attractive option.

Aside from the current problem of street robberies, which, thankfully, are a rarity in the community, are those of petty thefts, break-ins and vandalism, all of which have been suffered by Otley traders.

Traders must be sick and tired of having their windows broken and seeing their profits hit by shoplifters.

The beauty of the mobile camera scheme is just that it is mobile, and as Councillor Phil Coyne says, can be moved to areas of the town that are suffering.

While we await the outcome of such moves towards video surveillance for Otley and the Wharfe Valley, we can only use our vigilance and give support to the police in their hunt for the perpetrators of these robberies.

Sadly, though, we are at a time when such surveillance measures are seemingly more needed than ever, and the desire to crack down on crime in Otley in this way also seems to be stronger than ever.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.