Time to bust crime

Photo: BEN WATSON

COLLABORATING: North Harbour Business Association chairman Gary Holmes, left, and North Shore police area commander inspector Les Paterson sign a memorandum of understanding.

Police and business owners are together cracking down on crime in the Shore's most densely occupied business area.

With about 1000 commercial premises in Albany and North Harbour, the business area has proved a popular target for thieves, North Shore police area commander inspector Les Paterson says.

"This is representing a big chunk of our commercial property crime."

But the sharing of information between police and the North Harbour Business Association on crime and suspicious activity has contributed to a decrease in burglaries, he says.

According to police about eight burglaries were being recorded in the area each week, with most taking place on weekends.

That has fallen to one or two a weekend.

In recent years a community patrol organisation Bizwatch was formed, comprising the association, police and North Shore City Council.

An 11-hour security patrol runs from about 6.30pm until 5.30am seven days a week and reports anything suspicious to police, association chairman Gary Holmes says.

"We work with businesses to improve their security."

He says having some access to police statistics on crime in the area allows the association to be pro-active with security.

One of the key issues has been bush areas near businesses, he says.

This month the association signed a memorandum of understanding with North Shore police.

Mr Paterson says while it's uncommon for private companies and police to share information, it is not a first for New Zealand.

Police work with other Shore business areas but have formed a special partnership with the largest business district to start with, Mr Paterson says.

At the same time the agreement is not about police favouring North Harbour, he says. "We can't give anything extra."

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