A spate of break-ins and acts of vandalism at the Triangle are prompting calls for more visible policing and CCTV monitoring from some shop owners.

A break-in last week at Divine resulted in damage to equipment and stolen cash. It’s the second such incident since the opening of the salon, which also recently suffered a broken shop window.

Similar break-in attempts, thefts and acts of destruction have affected various businesses on the Triangle. Laptop computers have been taken from two different Triangle shops, and attempted break-ins and smashed shop windows and doors are a regular occurrence.
 

“The council must be aware, but as yet have failed to help the traders,” says Richard Effeny, owner of Picture Framing and Art. “Once people claim on their insurance, the premiums go up, and if they change insurance company their excess rises, so it’s all costing traders money.” He says a greater police presence is needed, and questions why the police community support officers are not spotted more regularly at the Triangle.

Over the road at Picture This, a temporary door has been put up following a break-in earlier in January, which resulted in the theft of various pictures. Partner Patricia Moss believes the perpetrators already knew which pictures they were after, and says she thinks CCTV in the area would act as a real deterrent.

Patricia Moss from Picture This

And Graham Cotton says his bakery has suffered from many break-in attempts and other forms of criminal behaviour over the years: "The police do not seem to have time or resources to be of any help. The most you will get, and only then if you insist the crime is reported and a crime number issued, is a standard letter with the crime number and a victim support booklet."



Links
PFI cash for 165,000 street lamps - BBC - February 11
Nowhere to hide from crime busting cameras - Daily Echo - February 12