RETAILERS are declaring war on the shoplifters who plague their stores - by launching their own version of zero tolerance.

Shopkeepers in Northallerton say the situation has reached crisis point and they are not prepared to tolerate it any longer.

From the beginning of next month, anyone convicted of shoplifting in the town faces being banned from every store taking part in the Shopwatch scheme.

A total of 64 shops are members of the scheme - a two-way early-warning scheme which informs shopkeepers and the police of anything suspicious.

With the district's Chamber of Trade and Commerce, they now plan to get tough in a bid to stamp out the problem.

"The retail community in Northallerton have been long-suffering victims at the hands of shoplifters, many of whom are drug addicts," said the chamber's acting chairman Jim Turnbull.

"They steal on a daily basis in order to feed their addiction and in the process are having a dramatic effect on local businesses, disrupting customers, abusing and intimidating staff and damaging profits."

He said such crime had reached epidemic proportions, and standard methods of dealing with the problem, such as in-store cameras and the tagging of goods, were having little effect.

The shopkeepers are working with the police on the scheme, which is similar to the local Pubwatch scheme where troublemakers are banned from local pubs.

Each month, the chamber will carefully consider the circumstances relating to convicted shoplifters and decide whether to impose a ban and, if so, for how long.

Should a banning order be breached, the ban will be extended and police informed, with the possibility of further action against the offender.

"We are aware of the human rights of shoplifters and have sought advice on this matter," said Mr Turnbull.

"However, we are also concerned for the rights of customers and for local business and their employees.

"People who commit crime choose to do so. Victims do not have that choice."