Press Releases

Ref. : SecuritySlam(PR1)
Date : 21st May 2010

AWP operator slams ‘crazy’ police advice

Pub machine operator The IOA Group has slammed the content of a police circular which suggests that a method of reducing crimes against gaming machines is to remove them from pub premises altogether!

The correspondence, which has been sent to publicans by Hertfordshire Constabulary working out of Stevenage Police Station, states: ‘Do you really need the gaming machine? By removing the machine from the property you are removing the inducement to commit crime’. The correspondence goes on to list some security steps warning that ‘failure to follow the advice that has been offered will be seen as a failure to abide by one of the four national licensing priorities and could lead to the premises being taken to review’.

Ken Mullarkey, National Sales Executive for the IOA Group, said: “I couldn’t believe it when one of our customers showed me the letter they’d received. It’s ridiculous, a bit like recommending people cycle to work in order to reduce the risk of car crime. It clearly hasn’t been thought through and at a time when many police forces appear to be taking machine crime seriously it’s a little bit disappointing.

“Gaming machines generate an important revenue stream for pubs up and down the country and to suggest that they should be removed in order to remove the inducement to commit crime is simply crazy.”


IOA contact: Ken Mullarkey (Sales Executive)

Tel: 01622 719163
Mob: 07768 537101
Email: ken.mullarkey@i-o-a.com

Media enquiries to Chris Jones or Alex Fierek at Scott & Jones Communications
Tel: 01273 699900
Email: info@sjc.co.uk