Police in Slough town centre have enlisted the help of children and ‘criminals’ for the launch of an anti-robbery initiative, called 1st Report.
On Saturday, November 24, two actors dressed in cartoon-style robber outfits were on the loose in Slough High Street. Children were invited to ‘spot the robber’ and collect a reward.
When they approached one of the two ‘robbers,’ children were given a voucher and asked to take it to one of two 1st Report sites, in the Queensmere and The Observatory shopping centres.
Police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) from the Town Centre team were at each site to explain how 1st Report works. Children were given surprise bags containing sweets and novelty gifts.
Posters advertising 1st Report were displayed throughout the town centre, and officers have visited schools to explain the scheme.
Town Centre Sergeant Adam Wise, who developed the initiative, said: “We have worked closely with our partners in Slough Town Against Crime (STAC), as well as having the generous support of other local businesses such as Mars, who donated chocolate bars for the gift bags.
“The quicker you report a crime, the more chance there is of catching the offender. Many victims of robbery are children and young people, but they may be unsure of what to do and sometimes they don’t even tell anyone.
“Under the 1st Report scheme, security guards in the town centre have been trained to take basic details of the incident. If someone is a victim of robbery or theft, and can’t see a police officer nearby, they can report the crime straight away to the nearest security guard.
“The security guard will take a description of the suspect, which can then be circulated immediately on town link radio and CCTV, as well as to police. With more people on the alert all over the town centre, the robber is more likely to be caught – and the victim has a far better chance of getting their property back.”
