Businesses to unite in crime fight

An alarming number of break-ins in the Auckland suburb of Penrose has forced businesses to band together in an effort to reduce crime.

Police say there are about 30 break-ins every month in Penrose, and 40 per cent of businesses have been broken into in the past year.

Nearly 90 per cent of businesses told an Auckland City Council survey they were either very or slightly concerned about crime in the area.

In an effort to reduce crime, a meeting will be held on October 11 for local businesses to form a Penrose Business Watch Group to discuss introducing a more co-ordinated system for security.

A similar group formed in Avondale last year resulted in a 50 per cent drop in commercial burglaries.

Safer Auckland City, a partnership between Auckland City Council, police, Ngati Whatua and the Ministry of Justice Crime Prevention Unit, is working with the Penrose businesses to reduce crime.

Safer Auckland City spokeswoman Betty MacLaren said a security firm would "monitor the suburb very intensively" but businesses would also need to back the initiative.

- NZPA