More officers hope to battle spike in Ludlow burglaries

West Mercia Police chiefs are considering temporarily transferring officers from Shrewsbury.

It comes after a rash of break-ins at Ludlow town centre shops, pubs and restaurants in recent months, which has left some traders saying they no longer feel safe.

The plan was announced by Constable Stephen Grant at a meeting of Ludlow Town Council last night. He told the meeting he was "working my socks off to catch whoever is doing this" alongside his colleagues.

It comes after one trader said he had written to Prime Minister David Cameron about the effect the lack of resources for local policing was having on the town centre. Henry Mackley, whose shop Harp Lane Deli, was one of three broken into on one night last week, told councillors he had also written to them and Ludlow MP Philip Dunne.

"It's got to stop, there has got to be a deterrent," he said.

"Mine is the 15th or 16th to be burgled since March. Our shop was smashed to bits, quite frankly, before they found the money.

"It's not always possible to bank it. Do I take it home to where my wife and two small children are?"

Councillor Rosemary Jones said one resident had called police during one of the burglaries but had no apparent response.

Councillor Timothy Gill added: "The amount of officers policing in Ludlow and other small towns is inadequate."

He said a lot of town centre business owners he had talked to had not been contacted by police about security at all despite break-ins happening around them.

Constable Grant, a member of Ludlow's safer neighbourhood team, said: "We all know there has been a massive spike in burglaries in the town, not just businesses but also outbuildings and homes.

"I understand your frustration. We are hopefully getting more help from our Shrewsbury division which should be giving us a couple of officers. You might not see us but we are out and about – trust me I am working my socks off to catch whoever is doing this."

He said he could not give details of exactly what the police were doing as it could risk scuppering investigations, but re-iterated one man had been arrested in connection with the shop burglaries while a second was being pursued, and other suspected offenders were known to police.

He said at any one time officers could be dealing with matters from Bishop's Castle to Clee Hill and had to go where most needed at the time.

He said: "I wish I could wave a magic wand and have a full quota of officers in Ludlow again.

"But we're never going to have that amount of officers on shift again until the Government gives us more money."