Small community shops in Merton now have the option of a free panic alarm to provide extra personal safety to staff and deter people intent on causing trouble.

Merton Community Safety Trust (MCST) in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service, Safer Merton and Mascot Telecare and Community Support Services is offering the alarms free of charge for three months to shops, whose staff have been subjected to racial abuse, violence, anti-social behaviour and incidents of shoplifting.

This additional security measure for shopkeepers starts as soon as the Mascot alarm is pressed. This will send a signal to trained operators in the Mascot control room, who will monitor the situation, offer advice and call the Police if necessary. Anything that is recorded can also be used as evidence in criminal proceedings.

Councillor David Simpson, cabinet member for Partnership and Community Safery said:

“I would strongly encourage small community shops to take advanatage of this offer. They all provide excellent service to the local community and they should not have to work with fear of being targeted by violent, anti-social people or shoplifters.

The presence of the alarm will send out the message that behaviour of this nature is being monitored and hopefully make people think twice before commiting criminal offences in shops.”

To find out more about this scheme, please contact Merton Community Safety Trust on 020 8545 3622.