Living in fear of break-ins
Traders demand action after spate of raids
TRADERS on the ‘nicest street in Accrington’ have demanded an increase in police patrols and funding for shutters and CCTV cameras after a spate of burglaries.
Three shops on Warner Street were broken into in 24 hours with thieves making off with charity boxes, cash and laptops.
Around 20 businesses have now been burgled on the street in just 12 months and owners say they are living in ‘utter fear’.
They have also warned that many businesses will soon ‘up sticks and leave’ unless more robust security measures are put in place and police patrols in the area are increased.
It comes as it was revealed that CCTV camera will be installed in the next few weeks which will be fed directly to police.
J&C McCormack, run by former Hyndburn Mayor Colette McCormack, and The Nail and Beauty Studio were the latest Warner Street burglary victims after both shops were raided in the early hours of Thursday, October 4.
The offenders caused damage to both premises and also stole charity boxes with money for veterans and sick children.
It came just 24 hours after Cafe 33 was broken into with thieves making off with an Apple Mac and cash.
Police are also investigating after Sweet Treat Designs on nearby Water Street was burgled overnight between Monday, October 4 and Tuesday, October 5.
It is the second time the shop has been targeted in four months and thieves stole a Macmillan Cancer Support charity box.
As Warner Street is a conversation area, externally mounted metal security shutters or grilles are not allowed.
Donna Greenwood owns Boutique 23 on Warner Street, which was burgled on July 16 this year, and has urged the council to allow permission for security shutters to be installed.
She told the Observer: “To say it’s the nicest street in Accrington, it’s not going to be for much longer is it?
“I don’t see why the council can’t say ‘it’s getting out of order and if you want to put the shutters on then do it’? Even if they all have to be the same colour or have some other restrictions I don’t care. We just need something to stop them. Otherwise everybody will just up sticks and leave and because their insurance will be sky high. You don’t want to work in that type of environment.
“It’s very disheartening, especially to shops where it’s happening two or three times.
“All of us wake up in the saying ‘God I hope it’s not mine today’. I check my CCTV every morning.
“It’s awful. I don’t see why people who live in Accrington and want a nice town why they should suffer like this?”
Joanne Blackmore has run JB Photography on Warner Street for more than four years and is the mother of Cafe 33 owner Curtis Blackmore.
She said: “Warner Street now is one of the only decent streets left in Accrington. Why are the council not helping us?
“You go into town and everything is derelict and empty and what is there is rubbish.