TOWN centre shops are set to make a united stand against shoplifting with a new radio monitoring scheme.

About 20 businesses in Marlow have so far signed up to Shopwatch, set up by Thames Valley Police with Marlow Town Council, to combat the recent rise in the crime.

Subscribers will get radio equipment and be able to quickly pass on information quickly over the airwaves to other businesses and the police control centre in High Wycombe.

Inspector Scott Messenger said: "What we want to do is make the whole of Marlow a much harder target for shoplifters and criminals.

"If the problem is not addressed then an area is almost seen as having a weakness.

"Then you get the organised gangs who will target the whole area and once they come into a town all the businesses will be hit."

There has been an increase in shoplifting, Insp. Messenger revealed, which is concerning officers.

He said: "It isn't a victimless crime, it does affect all of us. We take it very seriously and will look to apprehend and charge and convict as many as we can.

"It affects everyone, especially the smaller independent business, it impacts on them. Even the larger businesses, they do lose a fortune. It goes from individual opportunists, all the way up to serious organised crime done on a professional basis.

"We are very much aware of the problem and hope this goes some way to combat it."

Thieves tend to target items such as cigarettes, or even meat, that they can easily sell on under the radar, he said.

Explaining how the scheme will work, he said: "It's a network of radio and CCTV for the whole of Marlow.

"There will be intelligence sharing about known local offenders and it will facilitate the quick time sharing of information between shops.

"For example, if a known offender is spotted at one shop, that can be relayed over the airwaves to all the other shops and there will be a central point in the control centre at High Wycombe. They will warn other shops and people in the area."

The shops and businesses that subscribe will be supplied with a radio and trained to use that.

A similar scheme has already been operating in High Wycombe.

"It's worked very well there and so we're moving it out to Marlow," Insp. Messenger said.

There is a subscription fee for businesses for which they get training and equipment in return.

High Wycombe BIDco is providing training.