TRADERS are getting tough on crime by joining forces with police to launch an Otley Town Watch scheme.

Businesses are aiming to make the town a no-go zone for thieves and vandals who have been blighting the area in recent months.

Organised gangs of shoplifters and repeated spates of vandalism have sparked fears that Otley was seen as an 'easy target' by

criminals pushed out of city centres by surveillance cameras.

But at a meeting last Thursday, members of the business community decided enough was enough. Sixty-six joined the scheme which will be officially launched on July 9.

Sergeant Andy Oddy, community safety officer, said the early signs were encouraging.

"We've got enough to get it off the ground. Now we just need to have all the others on board to let the criminals know that Otley isn't a soft target."

Sgt Oddy said he was well aware of the problems faced by town businesses. "Otley is not a high crime area but there is still an unacceptable level of crime.

"A lot of traders have contacted me to see what we could do together to stop it. I want to do that with the people here to build a strong partnership, working hand in hand to combat crime," he said.

Otley Town Watch will share information between members about crimes and suspected culprits as well as providing

photographs of known offenders. Sgt Oddy said it could eventually run to legally excluding convicted shoplifters from the town itself.

Plans also include group purchasing and sharing hi-tech

prevention equipment such as alarms and portable cameras between stores.

Although they welcomed the proposals, people at the meeting were concerned how damage

and theft could be prevented at night.

Trevor Backhouse, of Patisserie Viennoise, was one of many who called for CCTV.

"Most crime takes place at night and without CCTV, how can this group stop things like that?"

However, Sgt Oddy said only through pressure groups such as the Town Watch could Otley win enough backing for surveillance cameras.

"I appreciate your concerns and it is a difficult problem to address, but hopefully through improved dialogue between yourselves and us we can begin to tackle it."

Initially sceptical, Mr Backhouse said he had been impressed by the ethos behind Otley Town Watch.

"I think it's a good initiative and I really do hope it does work and the town gets behind it," he said.

l Stickers, posters and crime prevention information specific to Otley will be available at the Town Watch scheme on Thursday, July 9, at the Civic Centre.

Any shop or business wishing to sign up should contact Sgt Oddy on (01943) 858019.

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