A SECURITY company which has convicted criminals among its employees claims to have "eradicated shoplifting" at a town centre shop.

And the manager of the Loc 19 firm claims the Blackburn guards - not believed to have criminal convictions themselves - have saved thousands of pounds for the Xceptions Store.

The move into commercial security work is fairly new for the Manchester-based company, which operates on the doors of several licensed premises in the Greater Manchester area.

In the city several doormen are awaiting trial for offences like possession of firearms and possession with intent to supply illegal substances.

Susan Reese-Farrell, manager at the Church Street shop, says she is completely satisfied with the work being carried out by Loc 19.

But we can reveal that one of the two Loc 19 company directors, Michael Anthony Francis, is currently serving a 12-month sentence for an offence of affray. The other, Stephen Roy Bryan, is awaiting sentence for driving while disqualified.

The Xceptions manager added: "The two guards who work here are very professional and deal with a lot of rubbish shoplifters. I do not think it is a problem. They have a very good relationship with the local police."

Loc 19 manager Derek Doyle said that on many occasions criminal convictions were "a hazard of the job".

He openly admitted that the company employed people with criminal convictions but said the majority of them were a result of police victimisation of door staff.

He said: "A lot of doormen have criminal records. In Blackburn, we actually only do security for the Xceptions store in the town centre. We were called in because the staff were getting intimidated by local youths."

Mr Doyle said that the company's usual work included licensed premises, like the Canal Cafe Bar, near to the Hacienda club in Whitworth Street, Manchester. He said they had now started to branch out and were looking to expand throughout the North West.

Inspector Colin Berry, secretary of the Lancashire Police Federation, said that at present there was no legislation governing private security companies.

He added: "Our view, quite simply is that all security firms, or companies purporting to be security firms, should be regulated.

"This would mean that all staff could be vetted to prevent people with criminal convictions from carrying out work of this type.

"It would also mean that members of the public could be certain that they are employing a reputable security company.

"I am not saying the majority of companies are not reputable, but legislation would give members of the public more confidence."

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