THIEVES and troublemakers could be named and shamed under new hard-hitting measures proposed by the Banbury Crime Partnership. The move is another step in a bid to make the town a safer place to visit and shop. The partnership is an anti-crime organisation made up of shopkeepers, police, and local councils.

It was launched in 2001 to combat shoplifting and anti-social behaviour in and around the town centre and in June last year it helped Banbury become the first place in Oxfordshire to win the Action Against Business Crime Safer Business Award.

The award is a national scheme supported by the British Retail Consortium and the Home Office.

Partnership chairman Andrew Margieson said: "Our efforts so far have reduced the amount of crime in the town centre, but we are always looking for new deterrents.

"We already publish an album containing photographs of known criminals, which retailers keep in their stores. It helps them identify crooks and nuisance-makers who have been banned from shops.

"In the future, we want offenders to be named and shamed in the same way that Cherwell District Council publicises benefit cheats."

Local newspapers and radio stations will be asked to co-operate in the scheme by reporting the court cases.

Mr Margieson, who is also the contracts service manager at Castle Quay, added: "We would target anyone convicted of an offence, and in particular, persistent offenders."

June Lynes, a Thames Valley Police civilian worker and co-ordinator of the partnership, said: "Offending has decreased year on year, and the number of persistent offenders and excluded people has come down from 44 in 2001 to 18.

"The message is obviously getting through, but it is important we keep moving forward to increase public confidence and provide a safe, non-threatening environment in the town centre.

"If people know they will be named and shamed, they might think twice about committing an offence."

The partnership tries to prevent crime. Shops are linked to each other by radio and can warn others about suspicious characters. It also runs training courses for retailers to help them protect their stock, pinpoint card crime, and prepare evidence statements for use by the police.

Another successful initiative is the Retail Crime Diversion Programme, which targets juvenile first offenders.

Mrs Lynes said: "The programme, which includes counselling and restorative justice, has been praised by parents. Out of 54 young criminals who have been through the scheme, only six have re-offended."

Mr Margieson said: "We still want to expand the number of crime partnership members, and perhaps include leisure operators, such as the bowling alley and Spiceball. Criminals forced out of shopping areas would look for other places."