The introduction of CCTV in Marlborough’s shopping High Street is now “inevitable” following three raids in one week – but activating the controversial project will not be on the agenda at Monday’s Town Council meeting.
That was the urgent message today from Paul Shimell, who until Wednesday evening was president of Marlborough Chamber of Commerce, as three men from the Coventry area were appearing in court charged with Monday’s masked raid robbery on jewellers Deacon and Son.
They are Marcus Delroy Jeremiah Cohen, 33, Paul Gallimore, 33, and Linton Daren Summerfield, 20, who have been remanded in police custody, and are due to appear this morning at the North West Wiltshire Magistrates Court.
And apart from a robbery on Sunday at Boots, the High Street chemists, it has also been revealed that stock worth £1,100 has been stolen from the High Street Landmark store by a gang who terrified the staff.
Town clerk Shelley Parker told Marlborough News Online: “No, it’s not on the agenda but the police will be there on Monday and we will be covering it during that item.”
Mr Shimell has raised the odds following the sudden outbreak of major crime in Marlborough.
“I have spoken to staff in eight shops and the younger girls who are sales staff are very concerned about their safety when they are left on their own,” he told Marlborough News Online. “I am not saying they are scared, but they are worried.”
While some shops have their own CCTV systems, Waitrose in particular and also jeweller David Dudley, whose shop was raided six years ago, he was surprised that Deacon and Sons had no CCTV system of their own.
“People in the town are shocked they we have had three raids now in a short time,” declared Mr Shimell. “Why that has suddenly happened I simply don’t know. And people should not put their safety on the line when it happens.
“I do think it inevitable now that CCTV is introduced in the High Street after such blatant raids on our shops. The Town Council can’t back out now after what has happened.”
The Chamber of Commerce is seeking a £5,000 grant from the Marlborough Area Board to help pay for the cost of a deployable system of four CCTV cameras and also a mobile camera for emergency use.
The Town Council has £20,000 in its budget for the introduction of the deployable cameras but still needs to pay for their maintenance and registration.
“We have raised money for other causes before, so I hope the Chamber can provide £1,200 a year needed to maintain a CCTV system for the High Street,” added Mr Shimell, the SpecSavers optician, who has been the Chamber president for the past two years.
He is also concerned about crime increasing as the Christmas shopping spree approaches, a fear echoed by Councillor Justin Cook, who has supported the traders’ demand for the introduction of CCTV.
“We have become a soft target,” he told Marlborough News Online. “This whole myth that crime doesn’t happen here and that we are the safest town in Wiltshire has helped to create this situation. These raids are an urgent wake up call.”
And he added: “One of the problems has been that animosity between various town councillors has paralysed the Town Council from taking action earlier on CCTV.
“Personal grudges and councillor’s egos have now place in what the council decides. We are for the benefit of the whole town.”
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