Liverpool is one of the first cities in the UK to trial high-tech ‘Safer Pods’ – mobile intruder detection units tackling shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. Tony McDonough reports
Mobile ‘Safer Pods’ that can use CCTV to identify shoplifting and anti-social behaviour are being trialled in Liverpool city centre.
Liverpool BID Company, which oversees the retail district in the city centre with the exception of Liverpool ONE, is the first Business Improvement District in England to work with Safer Group, the developers of Safer Pods.
This latest initiative is part of National Safer Business Action Week, which began on November 10 and aims to shine a spotlight on the work of partnerships across the UK to reduce retail crime.
These pods create a “visible and tech-driven deterrent” for shoplifting and anti-social behaviour around stores and businesses. They work as intruder detection units, monitoring activity inside and outside a store using a ground-level CCTV system.
If a prolific shoplifter walks into the store and an incident, like theft or anti-social behaviour, occurs, the retailer can activate the cameras using an app, without challenging the suspect.
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CCTV evidence can be requested by police or the store by calling a 24-hour security control room. BID director or operations, Shaun Holland, said: “This Safer Pod is much more visible to those out and about, so it will act as a deterrent in a more proactive way.
“Things such as CCTV are vital for safety, but they are often hidden and can be incredibly useful for evidence gathering once a crime has been committed.
“This is much more in your face and obvious, so it’s a tactic for stores to show potential criminals that if anything untoward happens, they’ll be caught on camera immediately.”
Liverpool is one of 250 Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BRCP) in the UK. The BID Safety Partnership sees Liverpool BID working alongside Merseyside Police, Liverpool Nightlife CIC and Liverpool City Council and businesses themselves.
It includes two full time Merseyside Police officers who provide BID levy-payers with a direct response to non-emergency enquiries about safety, crime prevention including cyber-crime, anti-social behaviour and security issues seven days a week.