Eight more witness appeal boards have been ordered for the Epping and Ongar police division after officers said they had been overwhelmed by the success of the new initiative.
The boards - which are modelled on those erected at the roadside following serious or fatal traffic accidents - are the brainchild of Epping Forest crime reduction officer Tony Ellis.
He came up with the idea when he visited the scene of a house burglary and noticed how many potential witnesses were walking past the property unaware that an offence had been committed.
As a former policeman himself, he realised that many of the passers-by would not be included in routine house-to-house inquiries - leaving investigating officers without the benefit of a potentially valuable source of intelligence.
This led him to suggest that the road traffic accident boards could be adapted - and the past month has seen two prototype boards drawn up by Essex Police graphic designer Rachel Stiff being pressed into service.
Sgt Tony Coleridge said: "We placed these boards at the scene of a burglary in Epping and at the scene of a robbery in Ongar."
"Already, we have received some useful information as a result of them."
He added: "These boards alert people to the incident and makes them cautious and aware of what's going on, which helps reduce crime and helps us in the fight against crime."
Details on the boards - which can be fitted to lampposts, railings, and other street furniture -include the nature of the crime, when it was committed, and the name and contact number of the investigating officer.
Published Thursday, January 9, 2003
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