Keighley police have been given the thumbs up from the rest of the country for stamping out shop fraud.

Since the trail-blazing 'thumbs up' kit was distributed to 146 local shops, pubs and petrol stations just before Christmas, no fraud has been reported by those who took part.

The kit, whose name comes from its inkless pad to record thumb prints of credit card users, credit card checking device and UV pen and light to verify notes, has received national acclaim.

Customers are asked if they would volunteer to leave their fingerprints on the back of a credit card or cheque book slip. The slips are destroyed once the transaction has cleared.

The scheme, believed to be the first in the country to use all three devices in one kit, has featured on TV's Crimewatch and attracted interest from police forces around the country.

It was funded by Keighley Single Regeneration Budget and Bradford council's crime prevention fund.

Businesses in Ilkley and Haworth also took part to avoid fraudsters flushed from Keighley trickling into nearby areas.

Crime prevention co-ordinator Chris Slaven now hopes more businesses will use the kit.

"If we can find another pot of money then we will equip them," he says. "We hope to see everybody in Keighley with the equipment."

Roxana Clarkson, deputy manager of Keighley's Etam store, which took part in the scheme, says: "Since using the kit we've had no dodgy cheques or notes.

"Before we had it we got them every now and then.

"This has put people off and made us more aware of checking details and looking at how people behave when coming to the till with cards."

Opinion page 8