A scheme has been launched banning convicted criminals from Keighley's Airedale Shopping Centre.

The move - revealed in the Keighley News last week - is the latest in a series of crime-busting initiatives pioneered by the police and town-centre traders.

Under the scheme anyone convicted within the last three years of certain types of crime - such as theft and drugs-related offences - face a ban. Exclusion notices have already been sent to the first ten people to be barred. Photographs of those excluded will be made available - under strict guidelines - to project members.

Anybody caught flouting the prohibition order faces arrest and prosecution.

Insp Mick Hopwood, of Keighley police, says: "By identifying people who persistently commit crime in this area - from dealing in drugs to shoplifting and damage - we can focus attention on them and stop them committing further offences. We are talking here of the type of crime which would impact on the Airedale Centre. Each individual case will be reviewed frequently, and our information will be constantly updated."

Town-centre police officer PC Sullivan and Airedale Centre management are spearheading the initiative, but there is multi-partner involvement. PC Sullivan told us: "This scheme is part of a much bigger picture involving around 50 shops, pubs and clubs in Keighley. Traders and police officers are linked by radios so that information can be shared and crime can be prevented - or more easily detected when it does occur. Closed-circuit television systems - both inside the centre and out on the streets - also play a vital role in reducing crime and improving quality of life for people in the town. This keeps Keighley's criminals on the back foot.

"Crimes such as shoplifting will always be committed but by working in partnership on initiatives such as this, we can put a severe dent in criminals' activities."

He adds that the number of offences in the town centre has fallen dramatically since shoplink radios were introduced nearly three years ago. "This illustrates how effective partnerships such as these are in reducing crime and the fear of crime in our community," he says.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.