As the weather warms up, traditionally levels of handbag and purse theft in the local area rise, with more people using cafes, bars and restaurants in the High Road.

With this in mind, officers from Turnham Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNT) have teamed up with Marks & Spencer to offer handbag alarms to Chiswick shoppers whilst raising money for a local charity.

Staff at the Chiswick Store voted to sell the alarms in aid of Meadow House Hospice, a specialist palliative care centre for Ealing and Hounslow.

At the launch, staff dressed as robbers - the cops, however, were real!

The alarms are sold by the staff at the front display stand at the entrance to the store - please ask a member of staff for more details.

The multi-purpose alarms supplied by police can be used to secure bags and purses, act as a panic alarm and has a torch function.

PS Ben Clark of Turnham Green SNT said, "By working with a local store, we hope to discourage pickpockets and bag thieves and reach the widest audience possible. It's really pleasing that the staff at Marks & Spencer have nominated Meadow House Hospice to benefit from this scheme."

He added, "I'm told that the alarms have sold so well that we already need to consider ordering further stocks for the store!"

June 11, 2009