A new drive to deter criminals is to be launched in Ongar.

The Neighbourhood Watch style scheme will be introduced in the High Street following retailers' concern at what they say is the lack of a visible police presence in the town.

A meeting of police and Ongar Town Partnership led to the suggestion of a 'phone tree' network being set up. Members will alert each other if they fear criminals are about.

Partnership spokesman Ron Case said: "This is a bit like Neighbourhood Watch. Shops and businesses will be able to inform each other the moment they perceive that an incident may occur."

"Shoppers will soon see brightly coloured stickers in the shop windows. These will say that the premises are a member of the scheme and it should act as a deterrent."

OTP member Keith Pike, of Highway Travel, claimed that two gangs had been operating in the High Street this year, targeting different shops.

He said: "Members of these gangs distract shopkeepers while the others steal. Shop owners have lost stock and have even had money taken out of the till."

He stressed that the scheme was not intended as a replacement for the police and was not intended as an attack on them.

But he added: "It has become clear to me they are underfunded and aren't able to provide the cover they would like and which we are entitled to.

''At the moment there are two local beat officers covering a suprisingly large area.'' According to Mr Pike, as many retailers as possible are being encouraged to sign up to the phone tree. Window stickers are being printed and the scheme is expected to go live within three months.

Mr Pike said that retailers in Loughton and Debden already operate phone trees and that Epping retailers were exploring the idea.

But he made it clear he regarded the scheme as only a partial solution and said he hoped it would send out a signal to government that more police resources were needed. The reaction of police had earli er been praised by Mr Case.

He said: "They have responded positively to our concerns.

''We have already noticed an increase in visible policing and hope this will continue."

The Shopwatch initiative also operates in nearby Epping.

Police Sergeant John Cousins said: ''This is another good example of a self-help inititiative against crime by local traders with police support.''

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