Thatcham CCTV questioned after vandalism

Traders want district council to make public the camera positions to deter break-ins

SHOPKEEPERS in Thatcham town centre have called for West Berkshire Council to make it known where the CCTV cameras are in the town.

The reaction comes after two shops in the Broadway – the recently opened RSPCA shop and its neighbour Stitch In Time – had their windows smashed one night in January.

Several traders have said that they would prefer to know where the cameras are and whether they were working.

RSPCA trustee of the Thatcham shop, Martyn Williamson, said that the incident overnight on Saturday, January 15 had been reported to the police.

He said that he was told they would look into it but he had heard nothing further from them.

He said that whoever had smashed the shop window had obviously done so deliberately, adding: “To break-in just to cause damage is sad, isn't it?”

The RSPCA shop had been targeted before it had even opened.

Mr Williamson said that by the time of the offence, however, it was too late for them to change their minds about opening in Thatcham, and that after the damage he felt deflated.

He added: “It would put my mind more at ease to know that our shop is covered by the public CCTV.”

Ellen Randall, from Stitch In Time, said that the shop window had been badly smashed and that there were beer bottles on the ground outside afterwards.

She said that a scheme used to exist in the town about a year ago whereby shops could telephone a number and request that the cameras were turned around to focus on particular areas that appeared to be experiencing anti-social behaviour and crime.

However, this has since been stopped.

Miss Randall said: “I think that we do feel that it's safer if we know it's there.

“Even if it is not pointed directly on your premises, it's the fact you know it's there.

“Even if it's not obvious to members of the public, I think it should be obvious to the staff in the shops.

“I think it's like with any sort of camera, if you know it's there I think it would act as a deterrent.”

Christian Martin, who co-owns the Cook and Butcher in High Street, said that he thought it was only a matter of time before it got broken into.

He said: “I'm always nervous but that's the same with anywhere.”

West Berkshire Council spokesman Keith Ulyatt refused to disclose where the cameras in the town centre were pointing.

He added: “We do not want to compromise safety in the community by discussing details of CCTV publicly.”

Thames Valley Police were unable to confirm before the Newbury Weekly News went to press whether or not the two incidents of vandalism in the Broadway in January were captured on CCTV.