AN innovative new scheme has been launched to protect Malvern traders and businesses against crime.

Facewatch, launched this week, allows business owners to safely share information and pictures amongst themselves, and the police, of possible troublemakers and low-level criminals in the area.

Information can also be shared between pubs, clubs and organisations, such as town and district councils as well as traders, almost instantly.

Not only does this mean there is plenty of forewarning between them, but it also means police receive descriptions and pictures of people who have been seen stealing from a shop, or thrown out of a pub, straight away too, making it easier for officers to arrest the perpetrators.

Around 30 Malvern traders, along with security guards and police officers, attended the launch on Tuesday.

Owner of Wilko, in Great Malvern, said: "This is a great device, and has to be a no-brainer to sign up to.

"The ability to share information and pictures between the traders is a great idea, and very effective.

"The fact that we can share names is a great deterrent. Being able to go up to a known offender, and speak to them and say their name, will put them off, as they don't want to be identified."

Another trader said: "It's definitely a no-brainer. There is one person who has targeted my shop several times, but it's proved difficult to catch him due to time elapsing and lack of information.

"With this, police can be there quicker, and everyone else will know who he is too."

Each person signed up to Facewatch has their own password and log-in details, and can communicate with each other via forums and message boards, which are monitored by police officers.

As well as details of a crime, descriptions of the people behind them and their picture, CCTV footage can also be uploaded, which is often used by police as evidence.

Pub owners can access information on who is subject to any banning orders, also.

The traders in Malvern can not only communicate with each other, but with people across the region, and even the country too. Police forces, including The Metropolitan Police, are using Facewatch already.

Rebecca Love, Safer Neighbourhood Inspector at West Mercia Police, said: "This is a fantastic tool for police and businesses to tackle shop crime.

"It has been operational throughout the country for a number of years now, and we are very excited, as a police force, to get behind this scheme."

It will cost traders £3 a month to sign up the scheme.

As well on laptops and computers, there are plans to roll a Facewatch mobile phone app in August too. Businesses signed up to Facewatch receive stickers advertising their membership to further deter criminals.

For more information visit facewatch.co.uk/cms/