A RETAIL crime intelligence system is set to be rolled out in Hounslow town centre to tackle persistent shoplifters and anti-social behaviour.

The London Borough of Hounslow, local police and the high street's major retailers - including Marks & Spencer, Debenhams and Boots - have joined forces to develop the system which will provide immediate intelligence to retailers about repeat offenders.

Supported by CCTV and police patrols, the system will monitor the movements of known retail criminals throughout the town centre, log offender details and photographs, and disseminate this information to member stores.

Store managers will use the intelligence to decide whether to exclude offenders from the premises, or watch them carefully if they enter their shop.

The London Borough of Hounslow has appointed a new crime reduction manager, Ian Hinds, a former Barclays west London area manager, to implement the ambitious scheme.

Mr Hinds said it was essential for retailers to be able to recognise persistent offenders.

"High Street retailers can tackle crime incidents far more effectively if they link up to share information on persistent offenders as in this system," Mr Hinds added.

"By working in partnership with other retailers, the police and the Business Crime Reduction Unit, they can take a smarter stance against retail crime."

Mr Hinds said the initiative was a cost-effective way to reduce retail crime and the loss of hundreds of thousands of pounds every year.

He said pilot schemes in other parts of the country had achieved savings totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds in the first year of operation.

"In a sector where profit margins are small, shops can't afford to be losing out to crime," he said.

"This is a cost-effective way of keeping losses down and it will open up dialogue between retailers, the council and police."

Hounslow's Marks & Spencer store has provided space for the headquarters for the operation, which is an initiative of the Hounslow Community Safety Partnership. If successful, the scheme will be extended to smaller retailers.