New CCTV gobbles up Rowde shop grant (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

New CCTV gobbles up Rowde shop grant

7:00am Sunday 7th February 2010

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The Rowde Village Shop committee has begun getting quotes for a CCTV system following a shoplifting offence in which £110 was stolen.

The thief struck at about 4.30pm on January 26 snatching the money from the till. Shop volunteer and parish council chairman Janet Giles was so angry that he was taking the community’s money that she tried to stop the thief from leaving but he got away.

The shop opened only three months ago and the committee will be using part of a £4,420 grant awarded by the Devizes Area Board towards a security system.

Jackie Bawden, chairman of the village shop committee, said: “We need to use at least half of the grant towards fixtures and fittings to finish off the shop but we will now have to spend some of the grant on CCTV.

“We have already got two quotes for a system and we are waiting to see if there is anyone in the village with the expertise who could help us. Our priority is to get a CCTV system as soon as possible.

“We didn’t want to have CCTV originally but following this incident we will have to. When we were planning the shop we didn’t think CCTV was necessary.”

Mrs Bawden said villagers were shocked at the theft and were continuing to support the shop.

It is thought the same shoplifter struck shortly afterwards at Potterne Post Office and attempted to steal from the till while paying for a packet of cigarettes.

A man and a woman from the Bath area were arrested and have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

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