A SECOND chance is being given to Edenbridge businesses who did not pay for a scheme they were using to help fight crime.

The Sevenoaks and District Business Crime Reduction Partnership is re-launching Shop Safe in the town, which provides staff with radios so they can have direct contact with police officers.

Only a handful of businesses are using the devices after a previous scheme collapsed due to some managers not paying the annual subscription of £416 a year.

Bob Newdick, town centre co-ordinator for the scheme, said: "In Edenbridge the scheme started in 2003 and there were 10 members.

"It expanded in about 2005 to include public houses, which meant we had about 20 members. But there were technical difficulties with the equipment or with the radio reception.

"A lot of the businesses in Edenbridge just didn't pay their fees. I do not know whether that is a result of disquiet or whether they just didn't want to pay the money."

Despite the previous issues, Shop Safe is up and running in the town again – but this time by invitation only.

Boots, The Co-op and the Esso garage are now using the devices because they showed the highest figures for suffering the effects of chronic shoplifting.

The effectiveness of the scheme is to be monitored before it is offered to a wider audience again.

Mr Newdick said: "Of the 50 reported cases of shoplifting last year, the majority occurred in these three places, so we decided they would be the best ones to work with."

PC Chris Clancy said: "The radios mean they can talk to us and they also have access to the Sevenoaks District Council CCTV control room.

"It is working in other areas but it is new for Edenbridge."

The officers said radios could shave vital minutes off police response times. If a shopkeeper has one they do not need to go through the Kent Police control room to request assistance.

The devices have already seen one woman become a jailbird after stealing a frozen turkey from The Co-op.

Plough Walk resident Brenda Jones, 21, was sentenced to up to 45 days in prison after she invoked a suspended sentence in making off with the £22.99 item.

Karen Ebers, manager of Something Special on the High Street, said: "I do not know if I would be interested in it.

"It would not be my decision and we would have to speak to the owners of the businesses.

"I think it would be useful if there was an officer in the vicinity. But if something happened and the officer was in Sevenoaks, there wouldn't be much point."

Should the town's businesses be more involved with the scheme? Let us know at www.thisiskent.co.uk/edenbridge