BUSINESS leaders and police in Malmesbury are looking to revive the town's shopwatch scheme to combat shoplifting.

PC Martin Alvis of Malmesbury police said the town has become an easy target because of security in other town centres.

He said a shopwatch scheme was initiated some years ago in Malmesbury but had not been active for several years.

The new scheme would be an early warning system to increase the chances of catching shoplifters.

PC Alvis is meeting with the town's chamber of commerce at the beginning of next month to discuss the plans.

He said he hopes a scheme involving all the shops in the centre could be set up by February or March.

"It will be a chance to exchange intelligence, and hopefully prevent as well as detect shoplifting. It will be an early warning system so that each shop can phone another at the first sign of trouble."

PC Alvis said both the chamber and police would be looking for sponsors to fund the administration and setting up of the scheme.

Malmesbury does not have a CCTV system and chamber of commerce chairman Alan Woodward believes a shopwatch scheme could help compensate for this.

"It is a problem with people coming from elsewhere and thinking we might be a soft touch," said Mr Woodward, who owns Woodward's Jewellers, in the High Street.

"We need something because we haven't got a CCTV system and need something in place to compensate and deter would-be shoplifters."

Anyone interested in sponsoring the scheme can call PC Alvis at Malmesbury police station on (01666) 822222, or call Mr Woodward on (01666) 824249.