SHOPS and businesses in Redcar have retained a national award for achievements in tackling business crime.

The Redcar Retail Crime Initiative, a partnership of more than 60 town centre businesses, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Cleveland Police and the Town Centre Management, received the Safer Business Award, a nationally-recognised standard.

Assessors for the award, which replaces the Safer Shopping Award, held by Redcar since 2002, returned to the town for a reassessment. Now, the award symbols will have pride of place around the town's retail trade.

The council's cabinet member for community safety, Councillor Joyce Benbow, said: "The award is a recognition of all the hard work and co-operation between the police, CCTV, the town's retailers and our scheme co-ordinator, Gary Roy.

"Redcar has made tremendous progress in the constant battle against retail theft and it is wonderful to see this effort rewarded."

Meanwhile, Town Centre Manager John Partridge is delighted with another initiative - the introduction of civil recovery - as an extra benefit of membership.

A recent example saw a convicted shoplifter having to pay £90 costs against the theft of a £4.99 blouse from a High Street store, as well as the return of the article.

He said: "It is hoped such measures, linked to the use of Crime Related Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, will further deter the activities of a minority of persistent shop thieves, who continue to prey on town and city centres."