SECURITY guards could return to Romsey this year as part of a crackdown on shoplifters.

Town bosses and shopkeepers will discuss plans to have security guards patrolling the town centre in a bid to prevent shoplifting.

This comes after two security guards from Romsey-based company AEC Protection were deployed across the town centre over the Christmas period.

As previously reported, the plans were proposed by Dorothy Baverstock and John Ray, both councillors for Romsey Cupernham ward, after Romsey shopkeepers reported a number of incidents in the past year.

Shopkeepers in the town centre said having the security guards over the Christmas period made employees and shoppers feel safer.

Peter Rowe, manager of menswear at Bradbeers, said: “Most of the shopkeepers had a radio each and they were able to use it to communicate with them. We had incidents in the store and the security guards helped get the stock back for us. It definitively helped us. Staff and customers alike felt they had a support if there was a problem.It is just a good deterrent.”

Now Cllr Baverstock, mayor of Romsey, said the initiative proved a great success and security guards could be patrolling the town centre in the future.

“The response we have had so far has been very positive. This has been a very very successful project,” she said.

Town bosses and shopkeepers are set to meet in January to evaluate the initiative.

“I really want to hear how they found it. We will have a meeting with all the people involved, including the security company and the police,”councillor Baverstock said.

She added: “It is my greatest wish that we can make our streets crime free and if security guards can help with it I will be fully supportive. If we can get the funding they will come back.”

The initiative cost more than £5,000 and was funded by local shopkeepers, Test Valley Borough Council, Romsey Future and Hampshire County Council.