Crime could force firms to quit

Raids at Hortonwood have risen 60 per cent in the past 10 months - and the town's police chief admits he does not have enough officers to provide the cover which businesses demand.

Firms are losing hundreds of thousands of pounds in stolen equipment and disrupted business, a crisis summit heard. Companies on the estate feel under siege, the meeting was told.

One firm has been targeted five times. Toy importer Golden Bear has had three break-ins in a year.

Chief superintendent David Spencer, Telford's divisional commander, revealed there had been 121 burglaries at Hortonwood in the first 10 months of this financial year, compared to 76 in the whole of last year - an increase of 45.

Brendan Malcahy, of hi-tech firm Golding Products, said: "We had a break-in and I was told by the police that it was the 11th one they had been to that night.

"Renault have left the estate altogether, allegedly because they had cars stolen or vandalised. We fear if this carries on people will want to move out of Hortonwood."

John Sale, also of Golding Products, added: "These are not kids, this is organised crime."

Superintendent Spencer said uniformed officers, who made up half of his 330-strong force, patrolled the town around the clock - and stepped up surveillance at crime hot-spots.

"Even so, there aren't enough police resources to provide the level of policing you and everyone else wants," he told the summit, organised by Shropshire Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise.

Mr Spencer said investigations had led to arrests. Jenny Wynn, of TTC which hosted the meeting, urged companies to join the Crime-stoppers scheme. Bob King, of Business Watch, believed falling membership had fuelled the crime increase.

Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard believed the relationship between police and local community was breaking down. A national debate and elected police commissioners were needed, he said.

Picture: Brendan Malcahy, of Golding Products in Hortonwood, which was burgled.

By Neil Thomas