‘After-hours shop workers need better protection’
Calls to extend Maidsafe system beyond 5pm
A shop worker attacked by a group of marauding yobs during a night of disorder in Maidstone has called for better protections for town centre staff.
The employee, who wants to remain anonymous, was left to fend for herself when under attack after she was told by the town’s security radio system, Maidsafe, it was unable to help.
She called via walkie talkie and was advised to call 999.
Maidsafe is coordinated by Maidstone’s Business Improvement District (BID) One Maidstone under its Business Crime Reduction Partnership.
The scheme encompasses around 130 businesses in the town centre, each armed with a walkie-talkie which keeps all shops connected to each other and Maidsafe’s control room which monitors CCTV cameras.
Ambassadors patrol the streets for any signs of anti-social behaviour but the service stops around 5pm.
Now the shopkeeper is calling for the scheme to be extended until later in the evening.
She said:”Apparently the staff that deal with this sort of thing stop at 5pm and that’s no good to me at 9pm.
“There should be a way for someone to get hold of somebody to come when you need them.”
She added: “When I got in touch with them they said you’ll have to dial 999 there’s nothing we can do.”
Ade Rowswell, operations
manager for Brenchley and Madisons restaurant said extending the Maidsafe patrol to help better protect the night economy would be beneficial to the town centre.
He said: “Given the current situation in the town, I think that would be a good idea, but I believe that this is just replacing the role the police should already be fulfilling”
Numerous shops and takeaways in Week Street were targeted in a night of assaults and thefts on March 22.
Our anonymous shopkeeper said: “Tesco’s was first because they tried to take beer from there.
“As far as I am aware the security guard stopped them and asked them to leave but they charged back in, assaulted the staff and smashed all of the glass.”
Next they targeted McDonald’s but were unable to get in, slamming on the locked door for some considerable time.
They proceeded to German Doner Kebab where it was alleged a member of staff was assaulted after the gang gained access behind the counter, though GDK’s media team were unable to confirm this.
KFC were next, where an assault allegedly took place, all of which was said to have been recorded on CCTV.
A further assault was reported on a member of public in Union Street.
By the time the anonymous shopkeeper was targeted it was around 9pm.
She said: “I’m a bit shook up, it was very unnerving.
“I’ve been doing this type of work for donkey’s years but I’ve never had anything like that.”
Two teenagers have been charged with various offences including criminal damage, assault, kidnap and affray and are due to appear in court later this month.
Cllr Clive English said: “You can never have enough protection. Generally speaking Maidstone is a safe place but sometimes it has the perception of being dangerous though I’m not sure that’s entirely true.
“If a perception takes hold then it could become a self-fulfilling prophecy so reassuring people would always be the way forward.”
‘There should be a way for someone to get hold of somebody when you need them’