Eighty-five shops have signed up to a crime-fighting Shop Watch scheme which was introduced to Thame just over a month ago.

Shop Watch aims to reduce disorder and crime by improving communication between shops and the police. Members of the scheme are linked to each other and the police through the Ringmaster system and any reports of crimes or suspicious activity can be circulated through Ringmaster and disseminated to all the members.

The members are made up of town centre shops and businesses and all display a Shop Watch sticker in their windows.

PC Russell Hounslow, of the Thame neighbourhood policing team, said: “I am really pleased that so many shops in Thame have agreed to take part in the scheme and am looking forward to having greater communication with the staff in an attempt to combat shoplifting and deter any possible thieves.

“Out of the 85 members, we identify the top ten to 15 premises that are most likely to be targets for shoplifting and ask them to start a ring-around system, so that all of the shops and businesses can be kept informed of suspicious behaviour and incidents that happen.

“We will be monitoring the Shop Watch system to ensure we are quickly on scene to arrest any thieves. Other shops in the scheme can also be prepared by being kept informed of what is happening around the town.”

Inspector Martin Ford added: “In the run-up to Christmas, incidents of shoplifting generally tend to increase and I would like to warn any thieves that we will not tolerate this and we will be working closely with shop staff to make Thame a safer place to be.”