8:39am Thursday 14th February 2008
By Mark Jessop
THE THEFT of Valentine's Day roses has prompted a call for CCTV cameras to be installed in Moreton.
The blooms, worth betweeen £200 and £300, were stolen after being left outside Allium florists in Old Market Way, Moreton by a deliveryman early on Monday morning.
But the opportunistic thieves were only able to get them because security shutters at the rear of the shopping arcade had been vandalised last week.
James Hayman-Joyce, whose estate agency manages the arcade, said engineers, who had been booked to fix the broken shutters on Monday, reported that it had been vandalised by "yobs jumping up and own on the casing" and would cost almost £1,000 to repair.
"We have major problems with vandalism at the back of the arcade. It's basically youths who have nothing better to do.
"They've burnt holes in the perspex of the shutters, they've written obscenities. I'm afraid a lot of the problems aren't the kids, it's the parents who don't teach them to respect other people's property," said Mr Hayman-Joyce.
He said the police were aware of the problem but more needed to be done.
"Either we need a high-pitched mosquito device or a CCTV camera. That land belongs to Cotswold District Council and really the next step is to put pressure on CDC to put up CCTV cameras at the back," he added.
Alison Maxwell, owner of the florist shop, said she would have to pay "sky high prices" to replace the stolen flowers.
"I think CCTV cameras will be a good idea," she said.
Acting Sergeant Adrian Smith said police have an ongoing commitment to have more officers on duty in the town at weekends, which had led to arrests.
"My feeling is it's a small number of individuals causing the problems. In a tight knit community like Moreton there is increased concern about it," said Sgt Smith, adding that CCTV cameras could be beneficial.
"It can be a great deterrent and it can aid us greatly, if an offence is committed, in identifying the perpetrators," he said.
CDC community safety manager Les Haines said he is due to visit Moreton today (Thurs feb 14) to talk to representatives of the police, town and district council to work out an action plan.
One option would be the increased use of mobile CCTV cameras, which can be placed at various "hotspots" around the town, including the back of Old Market Way.
"We have said to the police up there that we are going to increase that resource," said Mr Haines.
District councillor Ben Jeffrey said: "I don't disagree with the principle of CCTV cameras but I would like to see what happens when the new houses opposite are finished."
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