A CRIME prevention organisation in a seaside town is celebrating welcoming its 50th member to the team as it continues its fight against shoplifters. 

The Counter Crime Partnership launched in March 2019 and aims to create a secure environment by connecting shops in Clacton with its security personnel via radios.

These radios are used to exchange information about suspected shoplifters, anti-social behaviour and any other problems which may impact employees and shoppers. 

The operation has now joined forces with Pier Avenue Butchers, in Pier Avenue, with a radio being deployed to them earlier this week. 

Gary Brame, the owner of Pier Avenue Butchers, decided to join the town-link radio scheme after a series of thefts which other CCP members were able to help solve.

Other members of the scheme were able to help identify the offenders to the police, leading to at least one arrest so far.

Scott Pepper, the founder of Counter Crime Partnership, said: “It is great to welcome Gary and his team on board because they seem like a nice bunch of people and their premises are in a great location strategically.

"At CCP we believe prevention is better than cure, so in our ideal world, one CCP member shop will see a shoplifter and use the radio to alert other shops so we can man our doors and deter that shoplifter entry.

"The more radios we have in the shops, the more effective the scheme is."

The Counter Crime Partnership operates within the town centre, Waterglade Retail Park, Clacton Shopping Village and Valley Bridge Road.