THIEVES driven from Keighley town centre’s exclusion zone are instead targeting shops in outlying villages.

Keighley’s shoplifters and rowdies are finding easier pickings at corner shops and mini-markets in areas such as South Craven.

A councillor has now called on police to give special training to rural shopkeepers and their staff to tackle the new crime wave.

Cllr Andrew Mallinson wants the village traders to gain the same knowledge and powers that led to a dramatic drop in petty crime and anti-social behaviour in Keighley town centre.

Cllr Mallinson represents Craven ward on Bradford Council, and is also a member of Keighley Town Centre Association.

The association worked with the police to set up the Keighley exclusion zone in 2013, arranging training for staff and providing on-going support.

Persistent thieves and troublemakers were served with exclusion orders barring them from dozens of shops at a time.

Police officers recently reported to Keighley Town Centre Association that many of the ‘undesirables’ that used to frequent the town centre were increasingly being seen by fellow officers in Bradford, Shipley, and rural areas.

Cllr Mallinson confirmed that some shops in villages like Steeton and Silsden had seen an increase in thefts of alcohol and meat products.

He said: “In outlying areas there is a longer response time for police, so the criminals know they have longer to get away, and in some cases are not even challenged as they leave the shop.

“Staff turn a blind eye. We need to look at a training package so that staff feel confident to approach these shoplifters.

“The police have also reported reluctance on some stores to redesign the layout to ‘design out’ crime. The present layouts make it easier for criminals.”

Cllr Mallinson hopes to bring police crime-prevention specialists together with as many shops as possible in Craven ward.

Keighley Town Centre Association chairman Steve Seymour said that although the Keighley scheme could not be extended as far as outlying villages, he welcomed the idea of passing ‘good practice’ to anyone setting up new exclusion zones.

He said: “It certainly worked here, so there’s no reason it wouldn’t work in any town or village.

“There has to be a commitment from the shops to train their staff, give them the support, and ’manage out’ crime through measures like mirrors, CCTV and raised platforms at the tills.

“The last 12 months have certainly seen our shop staff more confident when they ask people to leave. They know there’s support from the police.”