Evening Standard from London, Greater London, England • 175

EVENING STANDARD FRIDAY 4 JULY 1997 31 Pete mM lj 't Moral probe: Martyn Lewis presenter of Crimebeat you think times are bad in London then you could try living in Accrington Lancashire This fine old place up north once famous for its dark satanic mills and a legendary football team named after a knife is trying to regenerate itself I know this because Martyn Lewis tells me so in Crimebeat (BBC) one of supergrass specials Accrington is now a business centre a place bristling with mobile phones and the attitudes of the people who use them not quite dear what sort of legitimate business is conducted there but it must be hugely successful because half the town has turned to villainy in order to live off it As a result Accrington has installed one of the most advanced camera systems in the country to catch the thieves Most of the centre of town is under 24-hour surveillance with the result that anyone who so much as looks at a car which is not their own is captured in great detail on black and white film which may later be used in evidence against them The police are very pleased with themselves as the cameras have helped significantly to reduce what was an appalling rate of crime Wrong-doers are now presented with categorical evidence of their misdemeanours and as a result most of them unhesitatingly declare: a fair cop governor got me banged to rights with regards to this one accept a stretch in a correctional centre provided for the The somewhat spooky spectre of the moral half of town watching how the other half makes a dishonest living has some undeniable benefits The victim of a pub brawl who has been badly slashed with broken glass is prevented from bleeding to mu rwwwiwfcwt 11 HE FLIGHT Take a look at our fantastic last minute flight offers death by the prompt intervention of the camera The Kung-Fu yobbo who feels that his evening is not complete without kicking a phone-box into submission has his bravery captured on film so that he may have time to repent at Her leisure A policeman beaming with all the brio at his disposal puts it succinctly: you go to court you need some second hand account of the crime You produce the film and you tell them that this is your evidence this is what To back up the cameras Accrington is also liberally supplied with Community Safety Wardens nine noble men and women of impeccable breeding who ceaselessly patrol the streets in search of mayhem Martyn Lewis the spotless presenter of Crimebeat and a man of probity who would not hesitate to turn in Nick Ross assures us that people feel safer in Accrington not sure if I share his evident satisfaction at the way things are going Figures indicate that since the cameras rolled there has been a 50 per cent reduction in overall crime Time and again we were shown film which displayed acts of unequivocal dishonesty people hot-wiring cars or walking away from a broken door with a cash till It was explained that the CCTV system is only as good as file people who monitor proceedings and the implication was that there are many of them and they are diligent It is absolutely right and proper that new technology should be utilised in any way to deter crime The feet that a burglary is captured in precise detail saves everyone concerned a lot of time and money When faced with hard evidence of his removal of a stereo system from a car the hardened criminal cannot fell back on his old burlesque routines the improbable alibis of yore UT what about the vast majority of film which is not concerned with crime? To watch Crimebeat you might form the impression that every time a camera whirrs a thug turns up and does a bit of naughty Yet a reflection tells me that most of the footage is empty of crime Much of it will be dull like the life it reflects Some of it will catch the unwary having an illicit snog or peeing in a bush not entirely sure that I want to visit Accrington certain in the knowledge that every move I might make is being monitored by a moral For details of all these great offers all into your loal Lunn Poly Holiday Shop or all us today on: 0990 81 11 11 Lins ipu Mon-Fri 9-M0 Sat 9-S More discounts on more holidays tAlcaUa charged at otandaid national cal rats Subject to availability Applies to now booWngo only Lunn Poly raowvolho right to withdraw this offer without notice Uethodo of payment accepted: MaotwconWiaaSwitcliDelta CrodU card ourchaigo of 1 appOM FuU datalo avalabto In ahopo BERNSTONES JEWELLERS 30 Hatton Garden EC1 Tel: 0171 405 1606 DIAMOND RINGS CERTIFICATED BY THE Gemological Institute of America also QUALITY GEM SET JEWELLERY INTEREST FREE CREDIT AVAILABLE (SUbied to Slate) Lewis-Smith is "Well here we go again Did anyone here not eat his or her homework on the way to Victor away.