Police tackle pick-pockets (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Police tackle pick-pockets

8:54am Saturday 13th October 2007

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A PUSH to prevent a pick-pocketing surge in North Wiltshire got underway in Malmesbury this week.

Keychains to help shoppers secure their purses and handbags were handed out by Wiltshire police outside the Somerfield store on Monday along with crime prevention advice.

Officers repeated the exercise in Cricklade and Wootton Bassett.

PCSO Mark Jenkins who was organising the handout said the towns did not yet have a particular problem, but it was moving up from the south and had reached Chippenham.

"It is becoming a problem in parts of the county and the statistics show it is heading towards us," he explained.

"A lot of people are arriving at the checkout to pay and discovering their purse is no longer with them."

He said the response from shoppers in Malmesbury was good.

"We have had a lot of people admitting that they are terrible at looking after their purses."

Many thought the chains were a good idea. "They won't stop a really determined thief, but they will let you know that your purse is being lifted."

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