Traders and police were due to hold talks today in a bid to curb the impact of shoplifting on businesses in a north Shropshire town, a meeting heard.

Members of Market Drayton Chamber of Trade were due to meet town centre police officers after a survey last month revealed retailers were losing about £7,500 a month through shoplifting.

Managers at 16 Market Drayton shops were questioned for the survey which was carried out after chamber members expressed anger over an apparent lack of shoplifting prosecutions.

Last night Market Drayton Town Council heard details of how local police officers propose to address the problem.

Market Drayton town centre officer Constable Martin Powell told councillors police had already been successful in putting some thieves behind bars.

He said:”We’re having a meeting with the chamber of trade and hopefully, we’re working to try and cut it down. People are shoplifting because it’s seen as quite an easy touch and you have to get caught quite a few times before you go to prison whereas if you commit burglary, you go to prison pretty quickly.

“People do go to prison for shoplifting and there are people from Market Drayton who’ve gone to prison quite recently so it’s not an impossible task.”

The talks come after north Shropshire police inspector Rik Klair said last week that he was prepared to consider setting up a shoplifting taskforce, possibly working undercover.

Latest crime figures for north Shropshire showed a drop in retail crime, but traders believe thieves are targeting high value items.