Crime buster wins award (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Crime buster wins award

11:15am Thursday 2nd March 2006 in Swindon

THE Swindon Crime Initiative Partnership has won an award for tackling trouble.

To mark the first anniversary since the launch of Action Against Business Crime, more than 250 delegates involved in Crime Reduction Partnerships gathered in Birmingham to hear about the latest initiatives.

The Swindon Crime Initiative Partnership has seen police and the council's town centre management team set up a network of information across the town.

It has helped snare numerous crooks, including fraudster Hong Aik Chua.

He was sentenced to six months in prison at Swindon Magistrates' Court in October last year after pleading guilty to six charges of obtaining property by deception and one charge of attempted deception.

To recognise the achievements of business crime partnerships, AABC held the first Partnership Excellence Awards at the conference in association with Professional Security magazine.

The Swindon Crime Initiative Partnership was one of three winners, alongside one from Woking and another from Glastonbury.

Home Office Minister Hazel Blears MP congratulated the Crime Reduction Partnerships on their achievements.

She said: "The Government recognises the very real contribution of organisations such as those present here today in preventing and reducing business related crime."