A PACKAGE of measures to combat crime in Morecambe are set to be in place during the next few weeks. £70,000 worth of Closed Circuit Television cameras are expected to be installed near Morrisons and the Superbowl as well as in the Arndale Centre and Queen Street. Another £60,000 will be spent on making car parks in the resort more secure.

Householders and businesses in the town centre will also be able to benefit from an innovative Security Works Grants scheme which will offer grants to buy alarms, security lights and locks.

The plans, jointly funded by Lancaster City Council and the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) committee, are set to get the go-ahead next week.

Cllr Geraldine Smith, chairman of the SRB committee, told the Citizen: "We are also looking to equip the West End with CCTV cameras.

"The problem we have is about the general fear of crime. We want to help the needy and vulnerable people such as the elderly who live in fear of crime. There are no substitutes for bobbies on the beat but we have to take measures which will stop crime."

The new grant scheme is expected to offer grants to cover 75 per cent of the costs for extra security measures for businesses and up to the full cost for householders."

This latest batch of crime prevention measures is also expected to help the resort's businesses who rely on tourism.

Insp Andrew Perry said: "If criminals are under surveillance we will have more of a chance to catch them. It will lead to more reports of crime because we'll be able to monitor situations more closely."

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