NEW CCTV cameras in Felixstowe are already proving a success - and helped police make an arrest just days after coming into use.

Richard Cornwell

NEW CCTV cameras in Felixstowe are already proving a success - and helped police make an arrest just days after coming into use.

Officers monitoring the system at Felixstowe spotted a man in the town centre fitting the description of a suspect wanted in connection with some purse thefts.

Police were immediately sent to where the man had been caught on camera and arrested him.

A police spokeswoman said the man was arrested on suspicion of theft after a 21-year-old woman had a purse taken from the top of her pram as she shopped in Hamilton Road on July 18.

Earlier in the day there had been some purse thefts in Woodbridge.

The camera system had been in use just a couple of days and it was its first arrest.

“It's a good start for the CCTV system and shows how it can work and come into its own,” the spokeswoman said.

“It's not just for crime and will be used in a variety of ways for Felixstowe.”

The 28-year-old from Romford who was arrested was questioned before being released on police bail pending further investigations. He is due to return to see police on September 8.

The £37,000 closed-circuit television system features four cameras which are keeping an eye on the seafront and town centre.

While the system records all camera images 24 hours a day, seven days a week, a dedicated band of volunteers will provide support by monitoring the service at peak times to make the service able to quickly respond to whatever is being caught on screen.

Volunteers are currently being recruited and trained to take on the monitoring work.

What do you think of Felixstowe's new CCTV system? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk