BUSINESSES on Salisbury's Churchfields industrial estate are being urged to review their security, after three firms fell victim to walk-in thefts in the space of a couple of hours last week.

The thefts have prompted the Churchfields Action Group, which represents the estate's 161 firms, to encourage businesses to step up their own security and to support the installation of a CCTV camera system.

Neil Philpott, new chairman of the Churchfields Action Group Committee, told the Journal that security was "foremost in the minds of people on the estate".

Mr Philpott, who runs Signs In Motion, in Whittle Road, said: "I have sympathy for the three businesses that suffered walk-in thefts last week, as our own business has learned from its own bad experience of a break-in.

"Eighteen months ago all our equipment, tools and computers were stolen.

"We sought professional advice from the police and local security firms to enhance our security and we are much happier now with the measures that were taken.

"The Churchfields Action Group is championing the case for CCTV on Churchfields, which most businesses based there have considered their best option.

"In the meantime, I urge all companies, large or small, to collectively look at their own circumstances and try to improve the levels of security, to lessen the opportunity for thieves to strike."

The three walk-in thefts are believed to have happened between 8am and 10am on February 24.

In Watt Road, the thieves got into an office and took a £1,300 laptop computer.

A £550 digital camera and three memory cards, worth £240, were stolen from a firm in Newton Road, after someone got into offices through an open door.

And in Stephenson Road, mechanics in a workshop were unaware of a thief walking into the unlocked front office and stealing a cashbox from behind the counter.

Anyone who witnessed any of the thefts, or who has information about them, should contact Salisbury Police on 01722 411444.

At the South Wiltshire Economic Partnership forum, held in Salisbury last week, guests were updated on the work being done by the action group, in particular an appraisal of options for the long-term development of the 33-hectare estate, whose firms have a combined turnover of £600m and employ 4,500 staff.