A GWENT businessman has just gone 12 months without a burglary for the first time in more than 30 years of trade.

This time last year, Phil Chappell, owner of B.E.C. Car Hire and Scootex, on the Severn Bridge industrial estate in Portskewett, was burgled for the 30th time, an incident that saw 45,000 worth of quad bikes and motorcycle accessories stolen.

Mr Chappell wrote to Tony Blair, challenging the prime minister to rid our communities of "career criminals" who make a living out of robbing small businesses and serve six to 18 months in prison if they are convicted.

Mr Chappell said: "I didn't hear back from Tony Blair, but his office must have referred my letter to then home secretary David Blunkett, because he wrote to me telling me I needn't worry because there were more police officers on the streets than ever before.

"When I wrote to the prime minister I did a straw poll of the businesses on this industrial estate, every single one of them had been broken into.

"I feel grateful that my businesses survived a period from January to January without another burglary, but why should I?

"I've forked out for alarms, cameras, spiked railings and security gates."

Sergeant Martin Griffin, of Caldicot police, said: "We patrol the Severn Bridge industrial estate on a nightly basis because it is an area where we've had problems in the past.