Louts keep out! (From Barry And District News)

Louts keep out!

BARRY retailers sick of thugs and thieves are launching a partnership that could see people guilty of loutish behaviour banned from all shops in the town.

Dave Sharp is a security guard at Tesco on Port Road. He is the co-ordinator for the Community Crime Reduction Partnership and said: "We have found that retailers in Barry, large and small, all face the same kinds of problems. The same people who are stealing from corner shops are also thieving from us.

"If they are kicked out of one shop they simply move on to target another one. We think the most effective way to deal with this type of crime is to ban them from all retail premises.

"Another major concern is high levels of verbal abuse, threats of violence against staff, and in the worst cases, physical attacks.

"We have to get beyond all guarding our own perimeter fencing to combat the problem together."

The Community Crime Reduction Partnership will see retailers, Barry Police and the Vale of Glamorgan Council working together to create a safe and secure town centre and to make more effective use of their resources.

Organisers hope to sign up retailers from Culverhouse Cross, through to Barry and Penarth.

The partners will compile and share information and photographic evidence on offenders, which may be used in the courts to bring exclusion and anti-social behaviour orders against individuals.

This week is national 'Respect for Shopworkers Week,'part of the Freedom from Fear campaign organised by the Union for Shop, Allied and Distributive Workers (USDAW).

John Hannett, USDAW general secretary, said: "Many shopworkers are going to work in fear of violence, threats or abuse and that is totally unacceptable. It is time for this hard-working sector of the workforce to be given the respect they deserve."

The Community Crime Reduction Partnership will hold a meeting at 6pm on Monday, at the civic offices.