[22 NOV 00]  WARWICKSHIRE CONSTABULARY NEWS
Lobby Bobby In Anti-Crime Push

Police in Nuneaton are going on a Christmas offensive to stop people becoming festive victims of crime.

They are going to put a bobby in the lobby of Asda supermarket to raise awareness of street and car crime and shop thefts.

It will be held on 14 December and if it is a hit could become a regular event extended across the north the county.

Officers from the Northern area Community Safety Unit have also devised other ways to keep the public better informed about crime issues.

Crime prevention advice has been circulated in the In-Touch magazine produced by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, and the crime prevention caravan will be oat the switching-on of the Christmas lights in Nuneaton tomorrow.

High-profile policing in the town centre will be stepped up in the two weeks before Christmas. Officers will be briefed to maintain public order, prevent and detect street crime, monitor town centre parking and deter shop theft.

PC Charles Tyler of the safety unit, said:

“Clearly a lot more people visit the town centre in the run-up to Christmas. Sadly criminals know this and subsequently we do expect a seasonal increase in opportunist crime.

“That’s why we want to get the message across to the public about simple ways they can help prevent themselves becoming a victim of town centre crime this Christmas and these initiatives will help us do that.”