TOWN centre businesses have launched a petition calling to keep their local PCSO who has tackled gangs and shoplifters over the past seven years.

A fortnight ago, stores in the town were told PCSO Charlie Milne would be moved from the town centre to Kingshill, as one of a number of officers switching their beat.

The paper petition to Wiltshire Police will be circulated around the town centre tomorrow, and one store manager has written a letter for the new Chief Constable asking him to leave PCSO Milne where he is.

Jenny Gaunt, manager at USC in The Parade, said a great deal of trust has been built up with the officer over the years.

“As a PCSO he has got a very strong character, and he’s a brilliant authority figure in the town centre,” she said.

“He has stamped out a lot of the groups who were causing problems in the town centre. They all know who he is, so they know that if they do step out of line, he will deal with them. He has also tackled the street drinkers and the homeless community.

“He can spot a shoplifter a mile away, and he knows all the shoplifters who are local to us. We need someone who can act straight away, and he knows everything about the town centre. I hope he would be pleased we want to keep him, because he loves the town centre and is always here for the community.

“Everyone here knows him and trusts him, and he is passionate about his job. I know for a fact if I am in trouble with shoplifters he will be there in a flash, and he has that personal touch. A few years ago there was a gang who broke in and got about £1,000. The next week when they came back, Charlie was on and they got arrested.

"More recently I was following one shoplifter when Charlie appeared out of nowhere to back me up, and he managed to get all my stock back.”

Insp Paul Saunders, of the town centre policing team, said PCSO Milne will remain part of central sector team in his new role in Kingshill.

“PCSO Charlie Milne is being moved from the town centre beat to the Kingshill beat, therefore he will remain as part of the central sector team,” he said.

“He is one of many PCSOs being moved for operational and development reasons.”