Crime scheme recruits town crier

Police have returned to a more traditional method

The streets of Middlesbrough have been ringing with crime prevention advice after police recruited a town crier.

Alan Myatt, whose voice can reach more than 112 decibels, has been signed up by Cleveland Police to urge people to lock windows and doors.

In one week earlier this month, there were 22 burglaries in the town, eight of them through an open door or window.

Mr Myatt was walking the streets on Tuesday wearing his traditional outfit and delivering his prevention message.

Sgt Glynn Bass said: "Many people still think it is safe to leave their homes unlocked.

Novel approach

"This is a tradition that has gone down through generations in some of our tight knit communities. Sadly the reality today is something different.

"We thought the way to get the message across was to step back to more traditional times and get a town crier to broadcast some crime prevention advice."

Mr Myatt was being accompanied by a vehicle towing an advertising trailer with the words 'shut it, lock it' and police community support officers were handing out post cards explaining the campaign.

Sgt Bass said: "This may seem a novel way of promoting crime prevention but we certainly think it will work.

"It will get people's attention, they will want to know what Mr Myatt is saying and hopefully they will act upon it."