Hammering home the message

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Tuesday 25th Dec 2007.

SHOPPERS have been warned to be on the lookout for pickpockets taking advantage of the festive sales in Swindon.

Police teams have been on the beat in the town centre handing out handbag alarms to cautious shoppers in a bid to tackle the problem.

The operation was part of a Wiltshire Police empowerment week tackling issues such as truanting, drink driving and theft, which can increase during the festive season.

There has already been one success with a gang of thieves from London being caught in the act last week.

Town centre beat manager PC Andy Alexander said: "We can't stress enough how important it is to zip up your bags keep an eye on your purses, wallets and mobile phones and if you see someone looking suspicious tell someone.

"People are most vulnerable at this time of year because they are distracted by Christmas shopping but it is important not to forget about your bags and valuables."

A local man has already been questioned in relation to several thefts from shoppers but PC Alexander says the problem lies mainly with people from outside the town.

He said: "It's not unheard of to have gangs come in from places like London and Bristol where they may be known to smaller towns to pickpocket or purse-dip, as we call it.

"The gang we detained had travelled to Swindon specifically to steal purses from vulnerable members of our community.

"They normally pick on the elderly, following them around the shops. They normally steal cash which means it can be hard to prove a theft."

The group were released and told to leave town but PC Alexander fears others will be back. He said: "The only way we can avoid attack is by guarding and defending our property and together show these types of people that we will not be victims."

As well as warning shoppers to be on their guard against bag snatchers, PCSOs also carried out truancy patrols last week in and around the town, working with local education officers to deal with students who should be at school.

Almost 40 youngsters were stopped in the town with many handed £100 fixed penalty notices for truanting.

PC Alexander has also been using shock tactics to hit home the dangers of drink driving - with a crushed car showcased by the town's millennium clock.

He said: "Christmas and New Year is a time when people can forget themselves and have one too many. The simple message we are trying to get across is that if you plan to drive, don't drink at all.

"The car on display in the town centre is a wreck from a genuine incident where the driver had been drinking.

"Thankfully when he crashed there were no other people in the car but he was quite seriously injured and of course then charged with driving under the influence."

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