POLICE have again teamed up with the private sector to try to beat shed and garage thieves who last year stole hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of equipment from Chorley households.

Chorley Police and local firm ASC Timber Supplies have jointly launched a new campaign to promote an alarm that is so versatile it can also be used as a personal alarm.

The police revealed that a staggering £362,000 worth of items went missing from sheds and garages in the Chorley area last year.

Popular swag are fishing tackle, bikes and gardening equipment. Often they end up at car boot sales.

Anthony Park, ASC Timber Supplies' general manager, said: "We are providing police with the actual stock and we are issuing them with vouchers for 15 per cent discount up to the end of the month for any security product in the store."

A member of staff will join police at the Field, Red house Lane, Eccleston, between 10am-2pm on Sunday for demonstrations to the public.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.