SHOPKEEPERS could soon see a Shopwatch scheme in place – and help prevent Farnham from being a ‘soft touch’ for shoplifters.

It is the result of a meeting held between Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner and Waverley’s borough commander, when the challenges caused by shoplifters were discussed.

It follows a letter published in the Herald on November 26 from Adrian Russell, concerning a direct link between the rise in drug crime and shoplifting.

Mr Russell wrote: “Hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds worth of stock is being stolen on a daily basis, all to be resold at a knockdown price, for the purchase of whatever drug the offender has become addicted to.”

He later asked for a meeting to be held between shopkeepers and the police, to see the “epidemic proportions” theft has reached.

Responding, Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner David Munro wrote to the Herald, saying he was “disturbed” by Adrian’s letter, which expressed “strong doubts about Surrey Police’s ability to deal with the problems of persistent shoplifting in the town”.

Mr Munro admitted that while shoplifting would not “disappear overnight”, “specific agreed actions” were in place, including a Shopwatch scheme, whereby “shops could let each other know when a suspected offender was in the area”.

He also asked that shopkeepers continued to report crime, as “the key to reducing this scourge is to report it”.

Inspector Gary Smith also asserted there was “a clear desire by all” to prevent a further rise in crime, confirming the number of uniformed patrols in the town centre would be increased to help launch the new scheme.

He said the scheme “builds on the information sharing that already exists between retailers in the town to include the police and town council” – which will increase the “speed with which it can be acted upon”.

Paisley Cat shopkeeper Matthew Nunn also attended the meeting, which he described as a “truly positive sign”.

Having experienced “an increase in theft at Paisley Cat over the past year”, he recognised the methods of reporting take “far too long, often with a less-than-positive outcome” – but that the group were “extremely happy” at the promise of an increase in patrols.

“The conversation among the shopkeepers of Farnham is one of cautious optimism,” Mr Nunn said.

“We will play our part in making the Shopwatch scheme a success, working together to send a message to the criminal element, that Farnham will no longer be a soft target.”